God’s Invitation…DAILY

FR. DAN MACALINAO

Have you ever been surprised by another’s generosity?
When I was first ordained as a priest,
I remember going to lunch at a Japanese restaurant.
Sitting at the sushi counter, I struck up a conversation
With a young father and his 4-year-old son.

They left before I did, and when I went to pay the bill,
I was surprised that it had already been taken care of.
It was an act of kindness I hadn’t asked for and couldn’t ever repay.

We’ve all had moments where generosity surprises us,
Or when something we thought was hopeless suddenly turns around.

In Sunday’s Gospel (February 9, 2025), Simon Peter also receives more than he expected.

He was ready to walk away from the water, nets empty.
Instead, Jesus steps in and gives him abundance
Beyond anything he could imagine.

Peter and his friends were seasoned fishermen –
They knew their trade, they had done everything right,
Yet despite their skill and effort, the nets remained empty.

You can almost hear their frustration as they wash their nets,
Exhausted after a long, fruitless night.

But then Jesus steps in.
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Peter hesitates. He’s skeptical. But he obeys.
And suddenly – the impossible happens.

Nets tearing. Boats nearly sinking.
The catch is too much to hold.

This is a decisive moment for Peter.
Peter is overwhelmed.
He realizes that this isn’t just about fish anymore,
it’s about something far greater.
And suddenly, his insecurities crash over him like a wave.
“Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
In other words, “I don’t deserve this.”
“I’m not worthy of being this close to you.”

Haven’t we all felt this way before?
When God calls us into something deeper, how often do we say:
“Not yet.” “Not me.” “I’m not good enough.”
We convince ourselves that we aren’t ready,
Like Peter, we think: “Lord, I do not belong here.”

But Jesus does not turn away from Peter.
He doesn’t say: “You’re right, I made a mistake – go back to fishing.”
He doesn’t say: “Come back when you’re holier.”
No. Instead, Jesus draws even closer to Peter,
Saying to him, “Do not be afraid.”

“Do not be afraid.”
Jesus knows exactly who He is calling,
And still chooses to call Peter.

The same is true for us –
Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves.
Our fears, our failures, our doubts – He already knows.
And yet, He still calls us.
Not because we are perfect but because we are loved.

Isaiah experiences this in the first reading.
Seeing the glory of God, he cries out:
“Woe is me! I am a man of unclean lips!”
But God does not turn away – he purifies Isaiah, making him ready.
And when God asks, “Whom shall I send?”
Isaiah, now transformed, answers – “Here I am! Send me.”

We see this in Paul as well.
He calls himself “the least of the apostles” because of his past,
But then proclaims that “By the grace of God, I am what I am.”
Paul let God’s grace transform him and send him out on a mission.

Peter, Isaiah, and Paul all had moments
where they felt unworthy of God’s call –
And yet God did not leave them. And He does not leave us.

This final moment in the Gospel always pulls at my heart –
“They left everything and followed him.”

Think about that for a second –
This was the biggest catch of their lives.
The one moment when walking away made no sense.
And yet, the very thing they had spent their whole lives working toward
Was no longer their focus.

Instead, they followed the One who gave them something greater.
When I hear this, I think about my own life, and maybe you do, too.

Seven years ago, I left science and academia –
A world that shaped so much of my life.
I had spent years studying, researching,
and pursuing a path that felt, in many ways, secure and predictable.
And yet God was calling me to something more – something unexpected.

Like Peter, I wrestled with that call.
I had my own “Depart from me, Lord moments,” and sometimes still do.
My hesitations, doubts, and fears of not being enough.
But every time I thought about doing something else,
God’s invitation remained: “Put out into the deep.”
And every time I said yes,
it has led to more abundance than I ever imagined.
Isaiah, Paul, and Peter all said yes,
Not because they were perfect
but because God called them anyway.

Now, this invitation is ours.
Jesus isn’t waiting for us to feel worthy.
He’s waiting for our yes.

So what is our next step?
Maybe Jesus is calling us to let go of fear.
Maybe He is inviting us to trust Him more deeply.
Maybe he’s asking us to say yes – even when we feel unworthy.

Because whatever might be happening in your life,
This is love.
That God’s grace is always greater than our weakness.
That Jesus calls us anyway.

So may we, like Peter, Isaiah, and Paul, have the courage to say:
“Here I am, Lord. Send me.”