🙏 SUNDAY INSIGHTS - 5TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 🙏

First Reading - Isaiah 6:1-2,3-8 

Second Reading - 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 

Gospel - Luke 5:1-11

Life is full of moments when we feel unworthy, inadequate, or incapable of fulfilling the mission before us. Whether it is a difficult task, a moral responsibility, or a call to something greater, we often hesitate, thinking, “Who am I to do this?” The readings today remind us that God does not call the perfect—He perfects those He calls. He takes ordinary, imperfect people and transforms them for His mission.  

The first reading from Isaiah presents a powerful vision of God’s majesty. Isaiah sees the Lord in all His glory, and his immediate reaction is one of unworthiness: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips.” In the presence of God’s holiness, Isaiah is deeply aware of his own sinfulness. But God does not reject him. Instead, a seraph purifies his lips with a burning coal, signifying God’s cleansing power. Once purified, Isaiah is ready to respond to God’s call: “Here I am, send me.”  

The second reading continues this theme with the story of Paul. Paul reminds the Corinthians that the Gospel he preaches is not his own—it is the good news of Christ’s death and resurrection. But Paul also acknowledges his past: he had persecuted the Church. He considers himself “the least of the apostles,” yet, by God’s grace, he was transformed into a powerful messenger of the Gospel. Paul’s story is a testimony that God’s grace is greater than our past mistakes.  

The Gospel brings us to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Simon Peter and his companions have been fishing all night without success. They are tired and discouraged. Yet, when Jesus tells Peter to cast the nets again, Peter hesitates but obeys: “Master, we have worked all night and caught nothing, but at your word, I will let down the nets.” The result is astonishing—a miraculous catch of fish. Overwhelmed, Peter falls to his knees and says, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” But Jesus does not depart. Instead, He calls Peter to something greater: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” Peter and his companions leave everything and follow Him.  

Dear friends, when confronted with God’s greatness, human beings feel unworthy. Isaiah feels impure, Paul remembers his past sins, and Peter acknowledges his shortcomings. But God does not focus on their weaknesses—He calls them anyway. He cleanses, strengthens, and sends them on a mission.  

This is the same for us. We may feel unworthy, sinful, or inadequate to do God’s work, but God sees beyond our weaknesses. He does not call us because we are perfect; He calls us because He wants to perfect us. Like Peter, we may have worked hard with little success, but if we trust in Jesus and cast our nets at His command, we will experience the abundance of His grace.  

The challenge for us today is to stop making excuses and start trusting in God’s call. How often do we hold back from doing good because we feel unqualified? How often do we resist God’s call because we are afraid of failing? Today, God asks us to respond like Isaiah: “Here I am, send me.” He invites us to accept His grace like Paul and to trust Him like Peter, even when the task seems beyond us.  

Let us not focus on our limitations but on God’s power. If He could transform a sinful prophet, a former persecutor, and a doubtful fisherman into great messengers of His love, He can surely use us too. May we open our hearts and respond with faith, knowing that when God calls, He also provides.