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Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 : 1 Corinthians 3:18-23

Brothers and sisters:
Let no one deceive himself.
If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,
for it is written:

God catches the wise in their own ruses,

and again:

The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you,
Paul or Apollos or Cephas,
or the world or life or death,
or the present or the future:
all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (1) To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

Alleluia : Matthew 4:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come after me, says the Lord,
and I will make you fishers of men.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God,
he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats there alongside the lake;
the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets.
Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,
he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore.
Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply,
“Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing,
but at your command I will lower the nets.”
When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing.
They signaled to their partners in the other boat
to come to help them.
They came and filled both boats
so that the boats were in danger of sinking.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him
and all those with him,
and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee,
who were partners of Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid;
from now on you will be catching men.”
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.

 Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a powerful truth:
God’s wisdom overturns human logic, and His call transforms ordinary lives into extraordinary missions.
• Paul reminds us that worldly wisdom is empty compared to God’s truth.
• The psalm calls us to purity of heart and sincerity of life.
• Jesus shows that obedience—even when it makes no sense—opens the door to divine abundance and mission.
The message is clear: Humility prepares the heart, obedience opens the net, and Christ fills it

Reflection for the Day

Saint Gregory the Great, whose memorial we celebrate today, lived the very message of these readings.
He was a man of deep humility—preferring the quiet life of a monk—yet God called him to lead the Church during turbulent times. He accepted the mission not because he felt worthy, but because he trusted God’s wisdom over his own comfort.
Paul’s words echo this spirit:
“Let no one deceive himself… the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God.”
We often rely on our own reasoning, our own plans, our own strategies. But God’s wisdom is different—higher, deeper, and often surprising.
Psalm 24 reminds us that the ones who truly ascend God’s mountain are those with clean hands and pure hearts. Holiness is not about brilliance; it is about integrity.
Then the Gospel gives us one of the most beautiful moments in Scripture.
Peter, exhausted after a night of failure, hears Jesus say:
“Put out into deep water.”
It makes no sense. It defies experience. It contradicts logic.
But Peter obeys.
And the nets overflow.
Peter falls to his knees, overwhelmed by his unworthiness. Yet Jesus responds not with rejection, but with mission:
“Do not be afraid.”
“From now on you will be catching men.”
This is the pattern of every true calling:
1. We feel unworthy.
2. God reveals His power.
3. He invites us into His mission.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Let go of worldly wisdom.
   God’s ways are higher than your strategies.
2. Purify your heart.
   Holiness prepares you for God’s presence.
3. Obey even when it feels illogical.
   Miracles happen in deep waters.
   Let today be a day of humility, obedience, and renewed mission.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, free me from relying on my own wisdom and teach me to trust Your voice.
Purify my heart, cleanse my motives, and make me ready for Your call.
Give me Peter’s courage to obey even when I do not understand, and Saint Gregory’s humility to serve wherever You send me.
Fill my nets with Your grace and my life with Your mission.
Amen.