Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Fishers Of People
Other Celebrations for this Day:
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Paul warns his people again against relying on human wisdom rather than on the “foolishness” of God and against giving in to division.
Gospel. Simon Peter and his companions were amazed that an outsider could tell them where to catch plenty of fish when they, fishermen by profession, had been unsuccessful. This man with a striking message was indeed extraordinary. They were caught in his spell and followed him. Later, they would put out into deep water; that is, they would risk and dedicate their life for Jesus and “catch people” to put them in the spell of Jesus’ message and life.
Opening Prayer
Holy God of our happiness,
you entrust your good news of life
to weak and fallible people.
Fill us with the strength of your Holy Spirit,
that we may be ready to speak your message
with the language of our life.
Let Jesus your Son work with us and in us,
that each of us may have the courage to say:
Here I am, Lord, send me as your messenger
to share your glad tidings of happiness
with all who are willing to listen.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
First Reading
Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you thinks he’s wise in the ways of the world, let him become a fool so he can be truly wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As Scripture says: God traps the wise in their own wisdom.
It also states: The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is futile.
Because of this, let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you;
Paul, Apollos, Cephas—life, death, the present, and the future. Everything is yours,
and you belong to Christ, and Christ is of God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1) To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
When he finished speaking, he
Simon replied:
But if you say so, I will lower the nets.”
They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help. They came and filled both boats almost to the point of sinking.
Upon seeing this, Simon Peter fell to his knees before Jesus, saying:
“Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
And so were Simon’s partners, James and John, Zebedee’s sons.
Jesus said to Simon:
“Do not be afraid. You will catch people from now on.”
So they brought their boats to land and followed him, leaving everything.
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord, attract people to you by opening their eyes and hearts to the beauty of your message of good news, we pray:
– Lord, attract people to you by your inspiring, loving personality, we pray:
– Lord, let your Church with all its communities attract people to you by serving them, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
in these signs of bread and wine
we celebrate the central event
that sums up our faith
and gives meaning to what we are and do:
the death and resurrection of your Son.
Purify our lips and hearts with his body and blood
and send us to proclaim with our lives
that Jesus is our living Lord
and that you are our Father,
now and forever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
in your love you have called each of us
to a task in life and a place in your plan
which no one can fulfill for us;
you have chosen your Church, that is us,
to be the irreplaceable sign and witness
of the death and resurrection of your Son.
Make each and all of us
capable of our mission
and send us out into the deep
by the strength of the body and blood
of our unique Saviour,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
The Lord entrusts to you his word and his body. Go now, speak his word and be his body to the world. May the Lord bless you, that you may be a blessing to all, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Luke 5:1-11
At your Word, I will let down the nets
In today’s Gospel, experienced fishermen return from a night of exhausting work with empty nets. Jesus asks Simon to try again—not according to human calculation, but according to trust: “At your word, I will let down the nets.” When Simon obeys, the empty nets overflow. 1
Fr. Armellini’s pastoral insight invites us to see the boat as an image of the Church. The Church does not accomplish her mission through human ability alone. She becomes fruitful when Christ is welcomed into her boat, and his word guides her efforts. Our communities may sometimes feel tired, divided, or fruitless; nevertheless, the Lord still says, “Put out into the deep.”
Fr. Ron Rolheiser frequently emphasises that discipleship involves allowing God to lead us beyond the familiar—to surrender our need for control and to trust grace in the midst of uncertainty. This Gospel makes the same invitation. Jesus does not promise that the deep will be easy; he promises that we will not enter it alone.
Peter’s awareness of sin does not disqualify him. When he cries, “I am a sinful man,” Jesus answers, “Do not be afraid.” God’s call is not based on our perfection but on his mercy. 2
Today, place your empty nets before Christ. Trust his word, enter the deep, and accept his mission. The harvest belongs to God; our task is faithful obedience. “At your word” can become the beginning of a transformed life.