Wednesday, September 2, 2015

22nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 03-09-15

Col 1:9-14 / Luke 5:1-11

Menial work is considered as  unskilled, lowly, humble, low-status and inferior, as compared to the other skilled and higher professions.

Consequently, menial workers are considered to be among the lower rungs of society and their opinions and suggestions are not usually considered valuable in the discussions and debates at the intellectual level.

Though their contribution to society is essential, they are often overlooked and forgotten and not much is expected of them other than the essential services that they provide.

Being a fisherman in the time of Jesus may be considered as menial work and fishermen were classed among the lower rungs of society.

In the gospel, Jesus sat on a humble fishing boat and that was where He taught the crowds.

And from the humble fishing boat, Jesus told Simon Peter to do something that was against his fisherman sense - to put out into deep water and pay out the nets for a catch.

Simon Peter was hesitant but nonetheless he complied and then he was confounded.

Simon Peter was confounded because he didn't expect the miraculous catch of fish and more so for it to happen to him.

But that is God's way of revealing Himself - He looks upon the humble and raises the lowly.

When we humble ourselves and not think too highly or proudly of ourselves, then God will show us great and wonderful things.