Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection September 04, 2025
Thursday – 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
04th September 2025 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 2
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Colossians 1:9-14
Brethren: From the day we heard, [your love in the Spirit] we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Psalm 98:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6 (R. 2a)
R/. The Lord has made known his salvation.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Follow me, says the Lord; and I will make you fishers of men.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
At that time: On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on Jesus to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – 22nd Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: Our Vocation is a precious and noble gift, irrespective of the differences in the walks of life. The ultimate and sole aim of every vocation is to make a constant transition from our old life of sin to a new life of grace in following the Lord closely
1. In the gospel episode, Luke 5. 1-11, we have the miraculous catch of the fish. This becomes the manifestation of Jesus’ power and also the occasion of the call of the first disciples. These are the two obvious themes. But apart from these, what is very striking is the aspect of transition or change that happens.
2. A situation of nothingness and total lack of fish changes into abundance. A sense of the futility of toiling vainly the whole night changes into a sense of utility and fruitfulness of catching plenty. Failure turns into success; fear is transformed into confidence; discouragement blossoms into courage and encouragement. Sadness is enveloped by gladness; hopelessness flowers into hopefulness; giving up and quitting is reversed by perseverance and rekindled stability. Thus, the whole misery is changed into glory, whereby a debacle becomes a miracle.
3. But, still, apart from these detailed elements of change and transition, there is one factor that is more profound and underlying. That is the change of their vocation, the change of their very identity, the change of the level and the dignity of their very life, the change of the direction of their work. They are transformed from mere fishermen to fishers of men or souls. This, in fact, is the highest form of change and transition.
4. This core change implies a lot. It is no more a change in that particular situation of the miraculous haul of fish. It is no longer limited only to those few moments. It involves their whole life. Their entire life changes. Their personality changes. Their focus and direction change. Their lifestyle, their manner of living, changes. Their goals and objectives change. Still, further, it is a qualitative change. It is a change from something lower to something higher.
5. This is the same change that is implied in the first reading from Colossians 1. 9-14. It is being “qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light; delivered from the dominion of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son”. It is to be “filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and insight”. It is to “increase in the knowledge of God”. It is to be “strengthened will all power, according to his glorious might, to endure patiently and joyfully”. It is to “live a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him”. It is to “bear fruit in every good work”.
My Practice: We too profess to follow the Lord closely. We too experience the power of the Lord very many times in our life. But does he make a substantial change in the quality of us as persons, in the quality of our mode of living? Are we constantly changing in transition for the better
