4th Sunday after Pentecost, June 16, 2013

4th Sunday after Pentecost – June 16, 2013

Epistle,  Romans 8: 18-23          Gospel, Luke 5: 1-11

            We should note that among the group of fishermen, Jesus addressed Peter first. Peter was already they leader of their group. We know he was also a humble man because he told Jesus that they had fished all night and caught nothing – “But at thy word we will let down the net.”

          Peter’s reward was a haul of fish so large that his net started breaking. He must have recognized the miracle because he fell on the knees of the Lord saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”  And a greater reward followed immediately as Jesus made Peter a disciple, “From henceforth thou shalt catch men.”

           In Matthew 8: 23-27 there is another incident in a boat, where Jesus wanted to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. We are told that “his disciples followed him,” which indicates that all were present, including Peter and Judas.

Peter’s boat, or the Barque of Peter, is a symbol of the Church. In this incident  Peter’s Barque was tossed about in a stormy sea. Pope Pius XII makes reference to the term in his 1947 Encyclical on St. Benedict, Fulgens Radiatur:  Pius wrote, “But when enemies assail the Christian name more fiercely, when the fateful barque of Peter is tossed about more violently and when everything seems to be tottering with no hope of human support, it is then that Christ is present . . . and raises up fresh champions to protect Catholicism, to restore it to its former vigor.” Today many Judases are in positions of power in the Church and the Barque of Peter is being tossed about as violently as it ever was.

In today’s Gospel we are told that two boats were at the shore. Our Lord gets into Peter’s boat and the other is left behind. The Barque of Peter is taken out into the deep because that is where the great catch – the catch of souls -- is to be made. The one left behind represents is the synagogue, holding on to earthly things.  What is so profound, what is so heaven-bound as that which Peter later said to our Lord: “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God?” And what is more earth-bound than that which the Jews later said of the Lord, “Is not this the Son of Joseph the carpenter?” (Luke 4: 22) Peter comment was inspired by Heaven, as our Lord confirmed when he said, “Because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.” But to those Pharisees who corrupted the Law of Moses He says, “O Generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil?” (Matthew 12: 34)

“Launch out into the deep,” Peter is told. Even today the Barque of Peter floats upon the deep of the world. It sails across our present time and keeps safe from harm all the faithful who are in it.  Like the sin of Judas, it is by the sins of the traitors in the Church today that we are put in danger. Be on guard against these faithless ones who have abandoned the one and true faith and replaced it with dogmas of their own invention.

Let us hold fast to the ancient faith of our Fathers, because where faith is true, there we will find our Savior – teaching, watching and rejoicing - and there we will find rest, peace and healing for all men. But where heresy becomes mingled with faith, there Christ grows drowsy and sleeps, and there we will find storms, fear and danger to all, just like in Peter’s boat when Judas was aboard.  +++

We Celebrate the Tridentine Latin Mass