22ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.

If you’ve ever put a fresh coat of paint on a single wall in a room of your house, you’ve probably noticed that the other walls, the rugs, and even the furniture suddenly look so much worse than before. The brightness of the new wall makes everything else look dull. It can be frustrating to see the stark contrast, and you might wish you could paint or replace everything in the room!

In some ways, coming into the presence of the Lord can be like painting one wall of our home. Our sinfulness becomes achingly obvious when we get a sense of Jesus’ holiness and goodness. Like that homeowner, we are aware of how far short we fall compared to the perfect love of our Savior.

This is one way to understand Peter’s reaction in today’s Gospel. When he realizes that Jesus miraculously helped him catch all those fish, he didn’t show simple astonishment, as if he had just witnessed a magic trick. He caught a glimpse of Jesus’ holiness, and that glimpse moved him to fall to his knees and confess his sinfulness. In light of Jesus’ perfection, his imperfections became clear.

This would be depressing if the story ended with Peter on his knees, ashamed of his sin. But that’s not how it ends. Hearing Peter’s confession, Jesus simply says, “Do not be afraid,” and then he calls him into a new life of “catching men” instead of fish (Luke 5:10).

Isn’t that amazing? Jesus didn’t reject Peter because of his sin. He didn’t walk away and look for someone better qualified. Instead, he poured out his love and mercy and called Peter to his side.

It can be hard not to get discouraged by our sins. We might want to avoid getting too close to Jesus because we are afraid of what he’ll say to us. If that describes you, let this story reassure you. Jesus’ love for you is so pure and full of mercy that there’s no room for condemnation or rejection. All he wants is to forgive you and heal you. All he wants is to renovate every “room” in your heart so that you can know his goodness and share it with the people around you. So “do not be afraid” (Luke 5:10)!

“Thank you, Lord, for looking upon me with infinite mercy and love!”

Colossians 1:9-14
Psalm 98:2-6
Luke 5:1-11