"A Holy Thread Throughout"

(Please read Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 138, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and
Luke 5:1-11) Lectionary Scriptures Epiphany 5-C

For those of you who are clergy, the word "call" takes on a very definite, personal meaning, doesn’t it? There was that moment, I’m sure, when you knew that you were to drop every "net" that you tightly grasped. You followed Jesus to the seminary. You now open God’s Word and step into the pulpit to share the Good News with us. Your call is to rejoice where there is rejoicing and stand beside us in our darknesses, to shine light on injustices and help us develop hearts of compassion and strength to stand against such things. OK, so that is the "Cliff Notes" version, an abbreviation of who you are, isn’t it? But at least there is a name to your calling!

It is this title of yours, whether it be "clergy", "pastor", "preacher", "minister", "priest", reverend, etc. (sorry, I didn’t mean to call any of you "etc") that, at times, brings distance between a "call" and those of us in the pews. Each Sunday, we look into the face of one who has been called by God. But do we, as those sitting in the pews, look to each side of us and see disciples? Do we look into the mirror and see the face of one who has been called as well? "Do not be afraid", Jesus says. Over and over again, God speaks throughout the ages, "Do not fear!" But still, many of us fear this word "calling" and the thoughts of such discipleship. Or maybe we dismiss it as not meant for us.

I hope that you have set aside some quiet time to read the suggested Scriptures for this day. It’s important that you do so at some point. You see, there is a thread running throughout them all, tying them together. It is unbreakable. It is a thread that we often overlook when we read the words of a person "called" by God and when we think of our own call to ministry (and yes, we are all called!). Too often, we whisper, "How courageous! What faith! I could never do that!" Yes, there was that moment when a person said, "Here I am, send me" or when nets were dropped and the first steps were taken. But this thread, this unbreakable holy thread that runs throughout these Scriptures is not of our own weaving. The miracle of our calling is not of our own making! It is in God’s power and miracles that we are called to bring a portion of God’s kingdom to this world.

In Isaiah 6, the one who says "Woe is me" is touched by a live coal of forgiveness and then called by the very One whom the seraphs proclaim to be HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. In Psalm 138, we hear the words "The Lord WILL fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever." Paul says, in 1 Corinthians, "But by the grace of God I am what I am …" and in Luke 5, the very Son of God says, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people" (and they left, not knowing where they were going). Again, the miracle of our calling is not within us to make. If it was, we would have it so very neatly planned! The miracle of our calling is that it is God who says to the very ordinary (both clergy and laity), "Step out into the unknown" and we step out into the "wherevers" tied to that holy thread of miracles and promises.

O God … It is you who, by the gift and miracle of grace, prepares us for our calling. You look at us, even in our smallness, even in our very ordinary ways, yes, even in our sinfulness and know that all things can be done through you and you alone. It is you who places courage within us to step out into the unknowns of discipleship. It is truly you who calls our names. Weave throughout our days the holy thread of these miracles, so that we might be strengthened. Thy kingdom come. They will be done. Amen.

anna