CONTRASTING REALITIES

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Pro – Life Sunday

Is 6: 1 – 2. 3 – 8 / Ps 138 / 1 Cor 15: 1 – 11 / Lk 5: 1 – 11

We live in a world of contrasts. Some are illiterate but rich while some are literate but living in poverty. Some are growing upward while some are increasing sideward. Some are having problems on what to eat from the buffet while some are having problems on how to earn money in order to eat. Some are ugly from the outside yet beautiful from the inside while some are beautiful from outside yet ugly from the inside. We live in a world of contrasts.

This is also the common theme in our liturgy today. We see in the three readings the contrast between the lack of human capacity and divine generosity. In our first reading, the prophet Isaiah after seeing the vision of God’s glory, realized his unworthiness when he said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips.” In our second reading today, Paul reminded the Corinthians that the Gospel which he preached to them was handed on to him despite his unworthiness to be called as an apostle for he was “born abnormally” and “persecuted the Church of God.” In our Gospel reading, Peter after experiencing the miraculous catch of a great number of fish, felt his unworthiness even to the point of requesting Jesus, “Depart from the Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Yet despite their unworthiness and lack of human capacity, Isaiah, Paul, and Peter were chosen and sent by God to become “fishers of men.”

With this contrast between human lack and divine excess; between our limited nature and God’s unlimited nature, we realize that in our relationship with God it is not about our worthiness but about His tremendous mercy and compassion for you and me. Such reality must be enough for us to rejoice in life. Despite our human weakness God has chosen us to become his people, his children.

My dear friends, if we look around us, we see a lot of contrasts due to human greed and selfishness. Yes, there are many buffet restaurants in the city, yet many are dying everyday because of hunger. Yes, there are many rising condominium buildings in the metropolis, yet many continue to live under bridges and in shanties. Yes, there is a fast development of technology, yet green forests are becoming scarce. Yes, we praise human beauty, yet we neglect the right to life of the unborn. We rejoice because we have been chosen by God despite our weakness. Yet, we are chosen because we are on a mission to end these contrasting realities in our world today.

While we were travelling from the Calungsod chapel towards the back portion of the Template during the Closing Mass of the 51^st IEC, I saw towards my left, the many dirty and weak shanties of the poor. Towards my right, I saw a sea of Catholics waiting for the Mass to begin despite the heat of the sun. What a great contrast! But in between the shanties of the poor and the people was the altar where the Eucharist will be celebrated. Thus, I realize that in the Eucharist, Jesus calls us to gather around the altar despite our unworthiness. And from our gathering, he sends us to the poor, the sick, and the marginalized. Amen.

Photo taken from frmarkdwhite.wordpress.com