FOLSIVEU. Uae GHFISL UIEU IU GUL Sms IN aQLUFualce Wiu Une scriptures; ‘that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures; *that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. ‘After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. ’After that he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. "Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. ’For | am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because | persecuted the church of God. '"But by the grace of God | am what | am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, | have toiled harder than all of them; not |, however, but the grace of God [that is] with me. ''Therefore, whether it be | or they, so we preach and so you believed. REFLECTION YOU WILL BE CATCHING MEN. Simon is called to be a fisher of men and women. This is a tremendous grace. But it is preceded by other graces that have prepared Simon for the call: Jesus using his boat as a platform from which to preach, then the unexpected abundant catch of fish when Simon obeys the command of Je Only 1s to go out into ‘ter all these does the deep and lower his 'n Jesus call Simon, “That is the way'God cals us. God gives preparatory graces to help us respond to the call. ‘This is true for vocation to the priesthood as well as to ried life. God gives a couple experiences that prepare them to give themselves to each other in martiage. Priests can tell of the many graces disposing, them to receive the call pethaps a very Christian family, with apostolic parents; perhaps meeting a priest who inspired them in class or while celebrating Mass. But when the call comes,,it is ‘not because of any merit on the part of the one called. Simon knows this and so he says, “Depart from me, Lord, for Lam a sinful man.” ‘The truth is, the Lord does not call us because of dir qualities, He equips us with the qualities we need for what he calls us to be and to do. Bp Thank God for the grace of vocation and for the graces disposing you to answer it, Ps 131 1 Cor 15:1-11 for 15:3-8, 11] Lk 51-11 Notes