Most of my friends, family and students are tired of me talking about how much I love the multi-season Television show based on the life of Christ called The Chosen.  But there’s something about the way they bring these Gospel stories to life.  Through thoughtful creativity and careful, respectful artistic license, it transforms familiar Bible passagges that just hits different. They take these Bible passages that we’ve heard a million times into something that feels startingly real and deeply human.  I often find myself wiping away unexpected tears as these age-old stories reveal themselves in fresh, moving ways.  And it’s helped me approach the scriptures with a bit more care and reflection to try to get a bit deeper into all that is going on.

A heartfelt thank you for taking the time to read this homily for the FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (February 9, 2025). Your support means the world to me, and I’m deeply moved by how this community shares these messages of faith. If you’ve found meaning in these words, I’d be grateful if you’d share them with others who might benefit.

And for those who prefer listening, you can find the audio version on SoundCloud HERE or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes HERE. Your comments, messages, and the way you’ve embraced these homilies continue to inspire me. Together, we’re spreading God’s word, one share at a time. Sincerely in Christ -Father Jim

Consider today’s Gospel reading about Simon Peter. At first glance, Luke’s account might seem straightforward: a frustrated fisherman comes up empty, Jesus suggests another attempt, and suddenly there’s a miraculous catch of fish that leads to Peter’s dramatic conversion. But there’s so much more depth when we really dive into this story.

Let’s pause here and really see Peter – not just as a figure in Scripture, but as a man trying to make an honest living. He’s shouldering the weight of family responsibilities under Roman occupation, navigating the equivalent of today’s challenging economy. He’s trying to be a good person, but not in that over-the-top, holier-than-thou way. He’s simply doing his best to live faithfully in challenging circumstances.  He’s figuring it out, like most of us.

Word was already spreading about Jesus by this point. Think about how news spreads in your time when something extraordinary happens. Jesus’s baptism, where God’s voice proclaimed Him “My beloved Son,” would have been the talk of every village.  But not only that, Simon Peter himself had already witnessed and experienced Jesus’ miracles and teaching that were creating a buzz throughout Galilee… most notably curing Simon Peter’s mother in law.

So that’s all in the background.  Now where we pick up today, Simon Peter, after pulling an all-nighter fishing (like working a double shift and having nothing to show for it), completely exhausted and probably as cranky as we get after a completely unproductive day. He’s cleaned his gear, ready to crash, when this carpenter-turned-rabbi asks to borrow his boat. Peter’s probably thinking, “Whatever, this day can’t get any worse.”

Then comes the moment that changes everything. Jesus, clearly not a fisherman, tells these seasoned professionals to do something that defies all their experience – to head into deep water and fish during broad daylight. It’s as absurd as telling a chef to cook without heat or a surgeon to operate blindfolded. The conventional wisdom was clear:  fish at night near the shore, where vegetation attracts the fish. Not in the barren deep waters under the scorching sun.

Here’s where Peter’s story intersects beautifully with our own. He faces a moment of decision. He begins with logic, explaining why this won’t work – we can almost hear him starting with “Actually…”  But then comes that powerful simple three-letter word: “But.”   Something in Jesus’ eyes, something in His voice, makes Peter take that risk of looking foolish. It’s like when you know all the rational reasons not to take that leap of faith – whether it’s starting a new career, moving to a new city, or choosing a harder but more meaningful path – but something deeper calls you to try anyway.

The miracle that follows isn’t just about fish – it’s about transformation. Nothing about this matched Peter’s life experience or professional knowledge. But when he surrendered his preconceptions, when he risked trusting God, he encountered something far greater than himself.

This reminds me of a powerful modern testimony I recently heard from Elizabeth, a Nigerian woman who shared her story on a Christian You-Tube channel. She had built a comfortable life but felt God calling her to something more.  Making it to the United Kingdom and settling into school just as COVID hit was miracle enough, but then she found herself in what seemed like a perfect relationship – right timing, promise of marriage and family, everything she thought she wanted.

But sometimes our “perfect plans” aren’t God’s plans. Elizabeth noticed red flags – problems that signaled this wasn’t God’s path. Yet she held on, praying “God, fix this” while investing more time, emotion, and resources. Her fears about her age, starting over, and loneliness mirror our own hesitations when God calls us to let go of something that isn’t His best for us.

Then came her deep-water moment: God’s gentle invitation to release this relationship. Not as punishment, but as an invitation to trust Him with something better. Like Peter in that boat, she faced a crucial decision: trust her own understanding or respond to God’s voice?

The challenge for us today isn’t about our ability to succeed in our careers, relationships, or life plans – it’s about our willingness to trust when God calls us deeper. Can we, like Peter, say BUT – “But at your word” and take that step when everything we think we know argues otherwise?

Because here’s the profound truth: God isn’t content being relegated to our Sunday routines or serving as our emergency hotline. He wants to be in our boat – present in our daily decisions, our future plans, our ordinary moments that He can transform into extraordinary encounters. Sometimes, like Peter and Elizabeth, we need to let Him challenge our expertise, our plans, and our comfort zones to experience something truly miraculous.

Sometimes the greatest act of faith isn’t holding on – it’s letting go. Letting go of our plans, our timing, our way of doing things. Because when we do, when we trust Him enough to try something that seems impossible or impractical, that’s when we discover what God can really do.