18th Sunday after Pentecost

Title

The Risk of Obedience

Outline

Paul is taking up a collection

He never took up a collection for himself, preferring to go hungry or to labor in his trade rather than to give anyone a basis for saying that he profited from ministry

But this had to do with Jewish Christians in famine stricken Israel who were often persecuted or discriminated against, and this would be a sign of the unity of the Church, Jew and Gentile

So, using the example of the Macedonians who had initiated their own giving, he points to a principle: you receive from God according to your generosity to others - “he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Now this does not mean that people are not free - indeed, they should not give until they can give with joy and freedom: “Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

But they should be willing to take a risk - trust or faith is always a risk - they should trust God to provide for them since they have taken the risk of giving to others: God will “multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” Notice that while our resources will somehow stretch the stress is on “the harvest of your righteousness” - there are more important things than a decent meal. In fact, the tradition of the Eastern Church is replete with those who gave up physical things for a life of aspiring sainthood

In this light let us turn to our Gospel

Jesus is teaching a crowd that by trying to get near to him is slowly pushing him backwards into the water.

He asks a nearby fisherman to turn his boat into a floating lectern (teachers in those days sat to teach) - Simon had finished fishing for the day, so he took the small risk and offered the hospitality of his boat, which he tried to keep as stationary as possible

Jesus finished teaching and asked Simon to put out farther and drop his clean nets. This was work, this meant dirtying the nets again, this also meant the risk of trusting this teacher who had never fished over his knowledge as an experienced fisherman and the knowledge of his incredulous friends on shore. Simon reluctantly too this greater risk of trust, not expecting much.

Well, the nets became heavy and some cords snapped, a desperate Simon signals to the fishermen on shore to help. When they arrive they manage to fill both boats to the gunnels, even dangerously full. Simon realizes that he has doubted and been ignorant of a divine being of some sort, and that was dangerous: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” Notice the “O Lord.”

Jesus responds, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” I did not do that to judge you, but to persuade you. Now I ask for a greater step of trust: “Follow me and you will catch people for me.”

Simon Peter, James, and John take the risk of faith, abandon their livelihood, and follow Jesus, having no idea of what “catching people” would look like or what the future held.

I have no idea what happened to the catch of fish - it does not interest the narrator - but we do know what happened to the now-former fishermen: they became the leading figures of the Church down the ages, even if each was in the end executed.

Brothers and Sisters, faith is trust in God and his word; faith is that type of trust that acts in obedience even if our knees are shaking and our palms are sweaty.

Faith takes the risk and gives because we trust him, not because we can see a rational way forward

Faith takes the risk and steps out following him, even if we have little idea where we are going

Faith is based on trusting him and hearing his word, on finding more security in him than in any this age can offer

And God says that such faith that is truly based on the move of the Holy Spirit in our hearts will always be rewarded, although perhaps not in a way that will make sense to this world or that we can image when we step out following him. It is beyond all we can ask or imagine.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-24-2021: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

2 Corinthians 9:6–11

6 The point is this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7  Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8  And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. 9  As it is written,

“He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;

his righteousness endures for ever.”

10  He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God;

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 9-26-2021: Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian

GOSPEL

(18th Sunday)

Luke 5:1–11

5  While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. 2 And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3  Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5  And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, 7 they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 10-24-2021: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2021 | OCTOECHOS

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Matins Gospel John 20:1–10

Epistle 2 Corinthians 9:6–11

Gospel Luke 8:26–39 (23rd Sunday, Greek) or Luke 16:19–31 (22nd Sunday, Slavic)

The Passing of John the Theologian, Apostle, and Evangelist