The beginning themes of both of the readings for mass today are about understanding, wisdom and the knowledge of God’s will. In the book of Colossians in the first reading today, Paul writes that they had been praying for the congregation at Colossae “that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord.”
Notice that Paul did not say they prayed for the new believers to learn a lot – they prayed for their understanding and spiritual wisdom! Intellectual knowledge is not the same thing as understanding what you have been taught. Wisdom comes from experience and not from simple learning.
Jesus taught the crowds from a boat along the shore of lake Gennesaret in the gospel today, but he followed through with what he taught immediately, in a concrete way by the miracle of the large catch of fish. Jesus knew that Peter, James and John would not drop everything and follow him simply based on the things he taught the crowd. They may have agreed with every word that Jesus said, but knowledge alone was not enough.
This is true with many of us today too. We understand things with our mind and heart, but we also need to view this understanding through a good, solid spiritual life founded on the sacraments of the church. True wisdom is a blending of the heart and the soul and the mind. Christ’s greatest commandment was “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” If even one of these parts are missing, then we lack genuine wisdom.
When Peter saw the great catch of fish he fell on his knees and said “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” Knowledge alone would not have produced this effect. Peter experienced the true presence of God in the flesh and blood body of Jesus Christ. He did not need anyone to teach him about this event, or explain this event to him. Peter experienced the presence of Jesus Christ himself and had the wisdom to recognize Him. Would we? Or would we try to rationalize the experience some other way? Peter didn’t hesitate. He knew what he knew and that was that.
The first thing Peter did after recognizing God’s presence among them in real life, was to fall to his knees and say “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” We too should recognize the times in our lives that make us more keenly aware of our own sins and imperfections. Peter recognized the holiness and purity of Christ and his own unworthiness to be in his presence. That is what purgatory is for us, a cleansing from all traces of our sins before we come into God’s presence in heaven. This is also why we need to go to confession. You never know when the good Lord will call you home and we do need to be prepared to follow him into eternity.
If Jesus called us home today, would we be prepared to follow Him into everlasting life? Peter, James and John walked away from everything they had ever known and never looked back. They had faith in Jesus and trusted him with their life. We should be prepared to do the same.
