Daily Gospel Reflection for September 1, 2016

Today's Gospel: Luke 5, 1-11

Jesus stands by the lake of Gennesaret. People are all around him, bombarding him with questions. The crowd begins to push in on him. Jesus steps into Simon’s boat and begins to teach the people. When he is finished speaking, he asks Simon to lower the nets. Simon is surprised but does what he is asked. The boat lurches sideways as the nets are bursting with fish. Simon is amazed at the miraculous catch and feels unworthy to be near Jesus, telling him, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Of course, Jesus does not leave Simon behind; he asks Simon to follow him.

Jesus asks the same of us today: “Follow me.” Do we listen as Simon did?

When I was a young adult, I believed I was self-sufficient. I didn’t always find time to attend Mass, I spent time in a bad relationship, I went to Reconciliation only rarely and my prayer life centered around short exclamations asking God to help me out of difficult situations or help me on a test. Yet, as I look back, God was always faithful, even when I wasn’t! God always made sure that I had what I needed – and more. He showered me with grace, but gave me time to decide on my own if I wanted to follow him. For so long, I felt like Simon did initially, unworthy to walk with Jesus. It took years to see God’s call in my life.

Today, Jesus showers us with grace, looks past our sinfulness, sees our faith and calls us to walk by his side so he can help us carry our cross, day after day. Are we ready to accept his call?

Ponder:

Think about the last week. Can you list the gifts God has given you? How will you respond to his faithfulness?

Pray:

Lord Jesus, help me to see the gifts you give me each day. Please help me to say “yes” to following your call in my life.

Copyright 2016 Dawn Doll

Dawn Doll is a homeschooling mom of many from Wisconsin, who wears many hats and helps to run the family commercial dairy goat farm in her “spare time.”