5th Sunday of the Ordinary Time (Year C)
Scriptures: Is. 6:1-2a, 3-; Ps. 13:1-5, 7-8; 1 Cor. 15:1-11; Lk. 5:1-11
Bartolo Longo was born to a devout Catholic family in Brindisi, Italy in 1841. He was a brilliant child but lost his way after his mother’s death at the age of ten. During his youth, Garibaldi was seeking to eliminate the papal city-state. Many universities had ex priests who were preaching nationalist venom against the church. He grew up to hate priests, monks and the Pope (the Catholic church). He studied law. While studying, he was introduced to occult practices. He was led into satanism. He intensely studied the art of satanism. He consecrated himself as a satanic priest and promised his soul to the devil. He presided over satanic services and preached boldly blasphemies against God and the Catholic church. His family tried to speak to him but it was in vain.
Vincenzo Pepe, a Catholic professor at the university persuaded him to meet Fr. Alberto Radente, a Dominican priest. The priest spent three weeks in conversation with Bartolo. He was welcomed back into the Catholic church on the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1865. Bartolo became a third-order Dominican. He made a promise of celibacy to serve God. He publicly renounced his old life and invited them to pray the Rosary. He was still in despair. He was not able to forgive himself. He felt that his consecration to satan is eternal as the priesthood to Christ is eternal. He pondered over the promise of Mother Mary who says, “One who propagates my Rosary shall be saved”. He spent all his life propagating Rosary. He built the famous Basilica of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary in Pompei, Italy. He wrote books on the Rosary. He composed novenas and prayers to Our Lady. He became a friend of Pope Leo XIII. He started a popular movement for the dogmatic proclamation of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary which was accepted by Pope Pius XII in 1950. His thoughts were influential in the proposal of the mysteries of light by St. Pope John Paul II in 2002. He was beautified in 1980 by St. Pope John Paul II.
When God called Bartolo Longo, a former satanic priest, he gave his beautiful experience. He made him the Apostle of Rosary. God takes initiative in calling us. He empowers us by giving His experience. We have three different persons in today’s liturgy who were called by God in three different situations. Isaiah was in the temple. Peter was in the boat and Paul was on his way to persecute Christians. Each of their accounts has strikingly similar elements. It is as follows: God takes the initiative. He gives them His experience. A person senses his unworthiness in the presence of God. God reassures him and sends him on His mission.
In this whole process, God always takes the initiative. It was God who gave Isaiah a beatific vision in the temple; Jesus approached Peter and Paul, while Peter was mending his nets on the shore of Sea of Galilee and Paul was on his way to Damascus. Secondly, God decided to give them His experience. Isaiah saw God in his vision. Isaiah saw Seraphim sing praises to God. We have incorporated the same words into the Eucharist; Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Host… Isaiah came to know the magnanimity of God. Peter saw the miraculous catch of fish. He had toiled the whole night in the same sea. He was an experienced fisherman. He was sure that there was no point in lowering the nets after so much hard work. He realised that his boat began to sink with the big catch of fish at Jesus’ command. He had to call his companions for help. Paul was struck by the light and could not see anymore. He confesses the same in today’s second reading. He says, “last of all, he (Jesus) appeared to me too; it was as though I was born when no one expected it.” Paul also experienced beatific vision like Isaiah.
In the presence of God, they realised their unworthiness. Isaiah says, “I am doomed. For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of Hosts.” Peter saw the catch of fish and fell on his knees saying, leave me, Lord, I am a sinful man. Paul considered himself the least of the apostles, since he had persecuted the church of God, he felt that he did not deserve to be called the apostle of the Lord.
What is surprising in these accounts is the reassurance of God/Jesus and commissioning them for a mission. The Seraphim touched the tongue of Isaiah with an ember. He felt that his iniquities were cleansed. God invited him to be his messenger. Jesus reassured Peter by saying, “Do not be afraid, from now on it is men you will catch.” As soon as they reached the shore, they left everything and followed him. Paul was also reassured by Jesus. He confesses that the grace of God makes him what he is.
Blessed Bartolo Longo, Isaiah, Sts. Peter and Paul sensed the call from God. They found themselves unworthy in the presence of God but God did not allow them to remain in the same state. He purified them and gave them a mission. We are also called by God. He gives us his beautiful experience. Have we noticed it? Have we become aware of our unworthiness in the presence of God? God is ever ready to forgive us. He makes constant efforts to reassure us that he is at our side. He wants us to complete his mission i.e. to build the Kingdom of God.
