Today’s Sermon in a Nutshell: Encountering Christ

Chance encounters happen all the time. Whether it be a run-in with a celebrity, bumping into an old classmate while walking through an airport, or even meeting your future spouse by her locker in High School. Well, in today’s gospel we witness just such an event when two lives happen to cross paths: Jesus comes upon Peter, a simple fisherman, and Peter meets the Messiah: an encounter that would change Peter’s life forevermore and make him one of the greatest historical figures of all time! 

To everyone around him, Peter was simply a big-hearted, good-natured fellow who fished for his livelihood – nothing more. Yet Jesus saw in Peter, more than Peter saw in Himself. Our Lord saw in him a great leader – an Apostle – who would one day speak to three thousand people and get them to be baptized and become Christians on the day of Pentecost.

We, too, cross paths with Jesus Christ each day of our life, however, whether we choose to acknowledge this fact is another matter. Yet if we do, just like He did with Peter, Christ can transform and bring out the very best in us, even to our fullest, unlimited potential. Our Lord knows we have the capacity to do great works in His Holy Name…and with His help, we are given that ability!

Fr. John