Sunday, August 12, 2018

19th Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 13-08-18

Ezekiel 1:2-5, 24-28 / Matthew 17:22-27

Tilapia is one of the three main types of fish caught in Biblical times from the Sea of Galilee. At that time they were called "musht, or commonly now even "St. Peter's fish". 

The name "St. Peter's fish" comes from the story in the Gospel of Matthew about the apostle Peter catching a fish that carried a coin in its mouth, though the passage does not name the fish.

And if we go on a tour to the Sea of Galilee, then one of the items in the itinerary would be a meal of the fish at one of the restaurants by the Sea of Galilee.

It is a common fish, but it became the means of solving a sticky problem between the tax-collectors and Jesus, with Peter being stuck in the middle. 

The fish that he caught that had a coin in its mouth resolved the problem. It was so ordinary and yet so amazing.

Whereas the vision of Ezekiel in the 1st reading was so astounding and awesome with the glory of the Lord shown in majesty and splendour.

But for most of us living an ordinary life and being ordinary people, that kind of vision would be almost out of the question.

Yet God will still reveal Himself in the ordinary situations in our lives and in the ordinary people around us.

So when we meet with a problem, let us remember that it was a fish that solved the problem for Peter.

And God will give the solution to our problems through very ordinary things.