From Failure to Abundance: Be Hopeful Even in Failure

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

St. Gerard Majella Church

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Simon Peter was a fisherman. Fishing was his livelihood. He wasn’t a sport fisherman  who fish simply because he likes it. He fished to earn a living, support his family and also provide a means of livelihood for those who worked for him. Simon Peter, like many blue collar worker, worked so hard to earn a living, provide financial/material security and happiness for himself and his family. And he knew his job quite well. But in today’s Gospel, Peter found himself in the corner of failure. Like every human being, he must have encountered other failures in his life. But the one recorded in today’s Gospel is a big deal!  

Simon and his colleagues had worked hard all night fishing but caught no fish. By morning, they were ready to go home in disappointment but with hope that the next fishing day will be better. Having paddled their boats to the bank of the Lake Gennesaret, they started washing their nets, their boats, themselves to prepare to go home. As they were doing this, Jesus showed up! He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon Peter. But as if that was not enough, he asked the owner, Simon, to push the boat a little bit from the shore. He sat down and started teaching the crowds who came to listen to him. The action of Jesus could have easily infuriated a grumpy person. Think about this: Peter and his men worked all night and caught nothing. And when they were getting ready to go home and look into the eyes of their households and say, “We will not be able to purchase the things we said we will purchase because we did not catch any fish” Jesus took over their boat. But Simon showed no offense or anger at the action of Jesus. He was respectful, kind and obedient to the demand of Jesus. Do not forget, Simon by this time, had not become a disciple of Jesus, so he may not have known who he was. Yet, he donated his boat to Jesus to use. Jesus used his boat to teach and to preach. Jesus used his boat to evangelize. At a time when many of us would have pushed Jesus aside, and asked him to get out of our boats, Peter showed his character and mettle. 

At the end of the evangelical outreach, Jesus rewarded Simon for his patience, kindness, respect, and obedience. He said to him: “Put out your net into the deep water and lower it for a catch.” In response Simon said: “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” That’s a huge statement of faith and trust in the words of Jesus. At the Lake, Simon moved from sight to faith. “We have worked hard all night and caught nothing”- that’s an empirical fact and evidence. His sight has seen it and bore testimony to it. But when Jesus said, “Put out your net into the deep water and lower it for a catch” Simon moved away from that empirical and scientific evidence into the realm of faith: “Master.... at your command I will lower the nets.” In the end what happened? Simon and his colleagues caught a great number of fish that they had to summon others to come help them out. The number of fish they got filled the two boats. That’s what the Lord does! Those who give little because they have little remain little. While those who give generously despite the little they have are abundantly rewarded. 

When Simon saw the great miracle that happened right before him, he immediately knew that Jesus was a Prophet and a Man of God. Falling to his feet, Peter exclaimed: Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.

Beloved in Christ, today we are once again presented with the problem of failure. Failure raises questions about ourselves and about God. If God is so good why did he allow me to fail? Why did he allow such a pain and failure to happen to me? Why did he allow me to work hard all night and caught nothing? Where is the good God? we often ask in times of failure. 

In today’s Gospel, Simon encountered failure, an all night failure. He was getting ready to go home and tell his kids, “Honey, I will not be able to buy you the books or the clothes you requested for because I did not make any catch today.” But in the middle of that failure, he was offered a window of opportunity. He took the chance, gave God what he had- hope and trust and also his boat and time. Suddenly failure was transformed into victory. The victory was so significant that Simon had to confess that he was a sinful man. He was surprised that a sinner like him could receive God’s favors. He thought that God’s blessings are only reserved for the upright. But God is the Father of all. He blesses us in spite of who we are and what we have become. 

How do we respond to failure? Do we see it as a challenge? And do we see every challenge as an opportunity? Do we respond as Simon did? Do we become grumpy, sad, and deeply depressed? Look, we are not responsible for everything that happens in our lives, but we are responsible for our responses. No one else is responsible for our responses- not God, not others, not life, we are. This is the challenge of faith. Faith is not just an adherence to a bunch of creed or sets of doctrines. Faith is how we act in life; it is the area in which God comes to us. Faith is how we act in life and how we let God act in our lives. Remember, somethings depend on you, and somethings depend on God. It is the partnership between us and God that makes the difference. Never believe that you are a failure in life. Face life with belief that “with God anything is possible” then live your daily depending on Him.