1. Jesus’ first call 2 nd Sunday of Babah

2. 1 – Are you willing to hear?  So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, Luke 5:1

3. Origen writes from the 3rd century "[Christ's words] are not only those which he spoke when he became a man and tabernacled in the flesh; for before that time, Christ, the Word of God, was in Moses and the prophets....[their words] were filled with the Spirit of Christ."

4. 2- Are you willing to obey (1)?  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat. Luke 5:3

5. 3- Are you willing to obey (2)?  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4

6. Origen, commentary on St John gospel  In truth, before Jesus, Scripture was like water, but since Jesus it has become for us the Wine into which Jesus changed the water.

7. 4 – Submissive argument  But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” Luke 5:5

8. 5 – Are you willing to partner?  So 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. Luke 5:7

9. 6 - Are you willing to follow?  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Luke 5:11

10. St Augustine  "The Scriptures are in fact, in any passage you care to choose, singing of Christ, provided we have ears that are capable of picking out the tune. The Lord opened the minds of the Apostles so that they understood the Scriptures. That he will open our minds too is our prayer.”