Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Praise be to Jesus Christ

How was your week?

Today is the first Sunday in February.

May God bless, protect, and lead us to the path of faith during February.  

Today’s readings reveal the path to faith is based on humility.  If you think you are modest, please raise your hand.  If you want to be modest, please raise your hand.  Our faith starts with humility.  I hope we can as a community follow the path of faith through humility.  

Some people take for granted for things they possess.  They are not modest but vain.  They express what they think through their words and attitude.  When they receive love and appreciation from others, they waive their hands and assume they are entitled to them.  Wealth and popularity have the same effect.  

No one is entitled.  Those who feel they do not deserve what they have are humble.  We are thankful when we receive love and wealth since we do not deserve them.  

Grace is the same way.  There is no grace we deserve but we receive them as a gift.  Once we recognize it, we are thankful.  We should be thankful for waking up, eating, living through a day, and praying.  When we recognize our own deficiencies through humility, we discover grace.    

I pray for mercy.  When I sit in front of Eucharist, I pray to the Holy Spirit and give thanks then recite three times “I am a sinner, be merciful.”  After the communion, I thank our Lord and pray for mercy.  As a deficient person and a sinner, I humbly implore for mercy so I may walk the path of faith.  

In today’s readings and gospel, they all humbly walk the path of faith.  They reveal that it is not our right but through grace we have received our calling.  

In the first reading, it is written “for I am a man of unclean lips.” (Isaiah 6:5)   But with an ember, he was cleansed was able to deliver the words of God.  

In the second reading, Paul professes “I persecuted the church of God.” (1 Corinthian 5:9)   But through God’s grace, he becomes a righteous apostle delivering gospels.  

In today’s gospel, Simon Peter, a fisherman, after catching a net full of fish based on Jesus’ instructions professes “I am a sinner.” (Luke5:8)   But Jesus chooses Peter to catch men instead of fish.  

These callings are given only to those who are humble and profess that they do not deserve to receive them.  “Not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Corinthian 5:10)  

Today is the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time.  I hope this week will give us the time to take a few steps toward the path of faith through God’s grace.  

Let us humbly give thanks to God’s grace and meditate for a moment.