Tuesday Temptations

The Gospel reading for Sunday, Feb. 4 is Luke 5:1-11 catching people, being caught by God....

There is a story about one of the early Church theologians named Origen. Origen lived in the third century during a time when Christians were being persecuted and martyred by the Romans. Origen's father was arrested and killed. In outrage, Origen, only 17 years old, wanted to follow his father into martyrdom. His mother protested but he insisted. So the mother did what she had to do, she hid all of his clothes, leaving him stark naked. Origen argued and argued with his mother, but she would not give his clothes back. But neither would Origen go outside and face his martyrdom naked. (which surely his nakedness would have gotten him arrested and martyred faster). So, Origen lived and grew up to be a profound thinker and writer of the early Church.

In our Gospel for Sunday Jesus encourages Peter to drop his net into the deep water and when Peter does his net is filled to overflowing. This Gospel story suggests that when we follow God in Jesus we will be led into those deep dark places of our selves, our souls, where we are vulnerable and without the clothing of our defenses. From this place of darkness and vulnerability God leads us into the light, into the fullness of life. When we allow ourselves to be open to God we find ourselves caught by a God who loves us just as we are, and then in loving us, causes us to be transformed - because we are called to love others as we are loved, our state of being caught by God catches others in the darkness of their lives and brings them to the light.

What temptations keep you from being caught? What temptations keep you from venturing out naked or keep you on the surface of life unwilling to enter the darkness wherein God will find you? In our modern world the typical temptation is being busy - too busy to find some quiet time for God. Too busy to pray or enter into a church community and form relationships. Too busy to give up Sunday morning for faith. Busyness allows us to live with the illusion that our lives have meaning and are transformational, but it may be that we are just busy, like wheels spinning in snow...

think about it...

why do you do what you do?