GOSPEL READING
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
The call of the first disciples Lk 5,1-11
Read the story carefully. You may notice that it is very similar to Peter's encounter with the risen Jesus at the end of John's Gospel in chapter 21. A brief comparison between the two would be useful - how does the main thrust of the two stories differ?
More important for us is to compare this incident with the call of the first disciples in Mark, Mk 1,12-20. We have already noted that Luke leaves the call of the disciples until later in his story. Yet the details are also very different. What is similar and what is disimilar about the two accounts? Who is missing (see 6,14)?
Would Jesus be a complete unknown to Simon Peter at this stage? It's a point we have touched on, see 5,38 and also 4,15 and 4,37 as well as 5,3.
5,3 suggests looking as well at Mk 2,13 and 4,1-2.
Verses 4-7 are the core of the story. How does Simon change from verse 5 to verse 8? What does he call Jesus? Look too at 1,38.
Check how verse 8 recalls Isaiah 6,5.
What does this encounter tell us about the way Luke is presenting Simon Peter?
Time to look at my response.
The Sunday Gospel
This passage is read on the 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time.
Given the dramatic account of Jesus calling Peter to follow him in the Gospel, it is not surprising that the reading chosen to accompany this Gospel is the great experience in the Temple of the prophet Isaiah as God calls him to be a prophet. Read the whole of chapter 6 of Isaiah in order to get the full story. What's been omitted from the Sunday reading? Could more of the chapter be helpfully read? How does Isaiah's experience compare with that of Peter?
Now look at my response.
We can now consider our overview of the rest of chapter 5 (which will take us up to 6,11)