Clergy Event Center 

Have any of you gone fishing?

Brian Sapp-Moore

A reflection on Matthew 5:1-12 for the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

The following was taken from Fr. Jim’s children’s sermon for Sunday, February 1st. Since winter weather is keeping the parish from gathering together again this weekend, why not use this children’s sermon to inspire some thoughtful answers within your home?

Have any of you gone fishing?
What do you need to have with you in order to catch fish?
One thing we need is bait. But what kinds of bait catch fish?
How would we define bait that would help us catch fish?

In our gospel lesson this weekend, Jesus calls us, like Peter, Andrew, James, and John, to follow him and be “fishers of people”. In other words, to follow Jesus’ teaching by sharing his love and way of life with others.

So what was the bait that Jesus used? What kind of bait do we need to help Jesus catch people in a good way? The bait we need to use is the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS! And in today’s gospel reading, the good news is simply following Jesus by:

Doing good deeds for one another (and not just the people we like!).
By saying we are sorry after we hurt someone, and trying to make up for our actions;
By trying to forgive others when they do bad things to us;
And by trying to practice kindness to all people.

Pray that we will be open to the Holy Spirit’s grace, so that we will become good “fisher people” for Jesus.

-The Rev. Jim Bernacki