During a personal discussion with an old religious priest he opened his heart. He told, “Dear, it is not the celibacy or poverty which is the toughest vow to follow, but it is the obedience. We can obey our parents, we can obey our relatives or we can obey our teachers. But to obey some one, totally different and personally unrelated with “my self” for a long period of life is the most difficult one in the life of most religious persons”.
Yes it is a sacrifice. We can call the sacrifice of Ego as the biggest and most difficult one.
In oriental religions the element sacrifice has got an important role. Man sacrificed beasts, fruits and similar items to the Deity of their worship. Human beings were also offered in certain cases.
We may remember the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. Abraham was on the way to offer his only one son in his old ages. It points out to the practice of human sacrifices. That story has got another interpretation for our spirituality today. We may interpret this story as the best example of offering ones Ego – Self. Abraham might have got a special figure among his fellow people as he was specially blessed by God through God’s visit and the birth of a child. May be Yahweh wanted to test his Ego level. Abraham overcomes this test. He shows his mind is not blind in the shadows of fake Ego. He proves his heart is still rooted in his Lord God.
The three figures we come across in today’s 3 readings are commenting to this feature positively and constructively. At first we hear the reading from the great prophet Isaiah. We know how God counts this prophet in his mission. Still Isaiah affirms his fallibility in the starting lines. He doesn’t hesitate to say, “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” A statement that we can add to the life of Egoless Abraham!
The same is reflected in the words of St Paul, as he says: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”. But he adds soon “by the grace of God I am what I am”. Grace is the Blessing of God. That shows God is with the person.
Certainly it is the clear picture we see in the Gospel Passage. God is with Peter. God shows his Grace to that poor fisherman through Jesus.
Peter was an experienced man in fishing. No doubt. We know Jesus hadn’t this experience of life, which Peter had.
Still Peter says, “nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net”.
What a great mind he had. Yes that was the test that Peter won first in his faith Exam. He had 100 out of 100. The best man, who is able to receive the Message of Jesus, as he had no wrong Ego. May be that is the reason for his succession to the supreme Apostleship. He was less intelligent considering Paul, but pure in selfless love. And even in his failure he accepts it.
All these figures point us to a peculiar behaviour. All of them asserts one and same matter. If you want to be an instrument of God, then avoid your fake Ego. Make yourself ready.
Prepare a place for God to sit, as peter prepared his Boat for Jesus Preaching. Yes, at first his small Boat, then his entire life becomes the platform for the Word of God. Even his shadow becomes the powerful instrument of divine healing.
It is the wonder. It is the wonderful change, which occurs in us though the presence of God.
Everything we do and say gets a divine touch. That happens only through this special sacrifice.
Peter and others are good examples for our faith progress. Many may find peter easy to follow, because many are just like him.
Not powerful, still loving God from the whole heart.
God might have his concept in selecting such person for his mission, as he wants to continue his mission of Love and humanity. He wants to show mercy to the needy. This is done only with the help of this great selfless mission. This happens only in a selfless heart.
Peter shared his Joy by sharing his fishes on the net with his friends. Peter enjoys this Joy at its next level, by leaving the boat and earthly connections.
This ends up in his ultimate Joy, as he offered his life on the cross, head down (to earth). Still his biggest sacrifice remains the sacrifice of Ego.
I wish all of us great courage for this step. God bless us all. Amen!
- Fr Thomas Kalathil
Yes it is a sacrifice. We can call the sacrifice of Ego as the biggest and most difficult one.
In oriental religions the element sacrifice has got an important role. Man sacrificed beasts, fruits and similar items to the Deity of their worship. Human beings were also offered in certain cases.
We may remember the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. Abraham was on the way to offer his only one son in his old ages. It points out to the practice of human sacrifices. That story has got another interpretation for our spirituality today. We may interpret this story as the best example of offering ones Ego – Self. Abraham might have got a special figure among his fellow people as he was specially blessed by God through God’s visit and the birth of a child. May be Yahweh wanted to test his Ego level. Abraham overcomes this test. He shows his mind is not blind in the shadows of fake Ego. He proves his heart is still rooted in his Lord God.
The three figures we come across in today’s 3 readings are commenting to this feature positively and constructively. At first we hear the reading from the great prophet Isaiah. We know how God counts this prophet in his mission. Still Isaiah affirms his fallibility in the starting lines. He doesn’t hesitate to say, “Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” A statement that we can add to the life of Egoless Abraham!
The same is reflected in the words of St Paul, as he says: “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God”. But he adds soon “by the grace of God I am what I am”. Grace is the Blessing of God. That shows God is with the person.
Certainly it is the clear picture we see in the Gospel Passage. God is with Peter. God shows his Grace to that poor fisherman through Jesus.
Peter was an experienced man in fishing. No doubt. We know Jesus hadn’t this experience of life, which Peter had.
Still Peter says, “nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net”.
What a great mind he had. Yes that was the test that Peter won first in his faith Exam. He had 100 out of 100. The best man, who is able to receive the Message of Jesus, as he had no wrong Ego. May be that is the reason for his succession to the supreme Apostleship. He was less intelligent considering Paul, but pure in selfless love. And even in his failure he accepts it.
All these figures point us to a peculiar behaviour. All of them asserts one and same matter. If you want to be an instrument of God, then avoid your fake Ego. Make yourself ready.
Prepare a place for God to sit, as peter prepared his Boat for Jesus Preaching. Yes, at first his small Boat, then his entire life becomes the platform for the Word of God. Even his shadow becomes the powerful instrument of divine healing.
It is the wonder. It is the wonderful change, which occurs in us though the presence of God.
Everything we do and say gets a divine touch. That happens only through this special sacrifice.
Peter and others are good examples for our faith progress. Many may find peter easy to follow, because many are just like him.
Not powerful, still loving God from the whole heart.
God might have his concept in selecting such person for his mission, as he wants to continue his mission of Love and humanity. He wants to show mercy to the needy. This is done only with the help of this great selfless mission. This happens only in a selfless heart.
Peter shared his Joy by sharing his fishes on the net with his friends. Peter enjoys this Joy at its next level, by leaving the boat and earthly connections.
This ends up in his ultimate Joy, as he offered his life on the cross, head down (to earth). Still his biggest sacrifice remains the sacrifice of Ego.
I wish all of us great courage for this step. God bless us all. Amen!
- Fr Thomas Kalathil
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