“We must place our hope in God’s help, even if we are professionals or well-prepared,” urged His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel on Sunday at the historic Chapel of Saint George the Great Martyr within the Patriarchal Residence.
The Patriarch made this exhortation while reflecting on the Gospel of the 18th Sunday after Pentecost, which recounts the miraculous catch of fish at the beginning of Christ’s ministry.
“Christ the Lord performs the miracle of the great catch, with many fish, not for lazy and idle men who slept all night and suddenly in the morning received a miracle, but for men who kept watch all night, who toiled all night, and because they achieved nothing, humbled themselves greatly.”
Their humility was met by the Saviour Jesus Christ, who commanded them to cast their nets deeper. Though their experience told them they would catch nothing, Peter obeyed the Saviour.
“The Saviour Jesus Christ shows that what they desired was fulfilled, but not when they wanted and how they wanted, but when and how God willed,” His Beatitude said.
The Patriarch stressed: “From this we learn that if we do a good work, but it does not succeed entirely as we hoped or planned, we must not fall into despair, because God’s help will come at another time and in another form, as God wills.”
At the end of human strength, God’s grace comes
Patriarch Daniel underlined that at the limit of human effort, God’s grace appears.
“The Gospel of this Sunday teaches us that we always need God’s help. Not only when we feel less prepared, but also when we are very well prepared, we must pray to God, saying: Lord, help!”
“God loves every humble person who asks for His help. He works in communion of love with Him and strives to be diligent and generous, because life itself is a gift from God for people and must be lived as self-offering to God and others, and as humble, generous, or giving love,” Patriarch Daniel exhorted.
Human sinfulness before divine holiness
When they realised the miracle that had happened to them, the fishermen were astonished, and Saint Peter fell at the Saviour’s feet, acknowledging his sinfulness.
“And feeling the holiness of Christ’s presence and work, Saint Peter said: Depart from me, Lord. He did not say rabbi, meaning teacher, but Lord. He recognised His divinity, which met with Peter’s sinfulness. And that is why he said: Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. This holy awe of recognising the sinfulness of human nature before the divine holiness of Jesus Christ shows that Peter understood that this was a divine work, a wondrous work of grace.”
Saint Peter displayed humility and obedience, and at the same time experienced the encounter between God’s holiness and the limits of human sinfulness.
Patriarch Daniel concluded his homily by urging, “Let us pray to the All-Merciful God to feel His power when we ask for His help. Let us never despair, even if our desire is not fulfilled when and how we want. Let us learn that God’s wisdom is higher than our own reasoning or opinion. His power is greater than our powers. The grace of His love and His holiness are a source of surprising, wondrous, and sanctifying works.”
Photo: Lumina Newspaper
