The readings today narrate God’s calling of three great servants of God: Isaiah, Paul and Peter. Before saying yes to their calling, they experienced doubt, fear and unworthiness. Isaiah said, ‘I am a man of unclean lips’; Paul said, ‘I am like someone born abnormally, I persecuted the church’; Peter said, ‘depart from me Lord, I am a sinful man’. They all met with the power of God’s inviting presence. Isaiah responded saying, send me Lord’; Paul carried a deep sorrow in his heart for persecuting the church but encountering Christ he says, ‘the Lord called me, loved me, sent me to preach his good news’. Peter could say only one thing, ‘Lord, you know that I love you’. All three said their final yes to God in their martyrdom; according to tradition Isaiah was ‘cut asunder’, Paul was beheaded and Peter was crucified upside down.
Story: A gardener had a cluster of bamboos in his garden. Each year they grew taller and stronger. Then one day the gardener stood before the tallest one and said, “my dear friend, I need you”. Sir said the bamboo, use me in any way you want, I am ready. Then the gardener’s voice became a bit serious and he said, in order to use you, I have to split you in half. Split me? The bamboo reacted. Why? I am the nicest bamboo in this garden. No please.. use me as you like but whatever you do, don’t split me in half. Well! If I can’t split you in half, I can’t use you. A stillness hung over the garden, even the wind was holding its breath. The bamboo slowly bowed its head and whispered, sir if that is the only way, split me. But that is only part of it, said the gardener. I will have to cut off all your branches and leaves too. May the Lord spare me from that, said the bamboo. That will be the end of my beauty. If I can’t cut them off, I can’t use you. The bamboo tree smitten to the core, then surrendered, sir cut me down.
My dear bamboo, I have to inflict even more pain on you. I have to take away even your heart and your insides; otherwise I can’t use you. The bamboo bent all the way to the ground and said, sir cut and prune me as you wish. The gardener cut down the bamboo, lopped off its branches and leaves, split it down the middle, hollowed out its inside, then he carried it out through the parched fields and brought it to a spring and let it carry the water to the fields and make them fertile. It became a source of blessing to all. A total gift of oneself makes every vocation [married life, ministry in church] fruitful. Isaiah, Paul and Peter let themselves be pruned and transformed by God, and they could ‘go out into the deep waters’ of human hearts, carrying the word of God, gospel of Christ, which is God’s net; the great catch of fish is hearts that turned to God.
In baptism we are all called to different vocations in life, married life, single life or to minister in the church as priests and deacons. Feeling of unworthiness, fear and doubts are part of our commitment to Christ but it is the grace of Christ, our love for Christ that liberates us from all constraints and empowers our will to trust. We ask the Lord today like Isaiah, ‘send me Lord with your word to my own heart that is torn between love and resentments; send me to my family, to the one who need to hear your healing words; send me to my community, to the one who is estranged, feels unwelcome, struggling in life, to the voiceless, to all who suffer injustice, prejudice, discrimination; send me to do good to all I encounter in life and be a steward of all the gifts you have given me.