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'); document.write('It seems to be hu'); document.write('man nature to strive for stability and security. We do our best to bring order to our lives and keep uncertainty and co'); document.write('nfusion at bay. For many of us, Christianity appears to be a safety blanket -- a spiritual insurance policy that will k'); document.write('eep us safe and sound on high ground. However, today\'s readings show us that Christ is calling us to leave the shore an'); document.write('d strike out for deeper waters.
I have been involved in Youth Ministry for many years -- it is'); document.write(' sort of my "thing". I have held full-time, part-time, and (mainly) volunteer positions over the years, and have receiv'); document.write('ed fairly extensive training. I am good with the teens, I enjoy working with them, and I am very comfortable with the r'); document.write('ole I play in our program. Thus, I was a bit surprised when, in the spring of 2001, the Holy Spirit called me to do some'); document.write('thing quite a bit different.
Through a rather mundane series of events, I found myself maintaining the last remna'); document.write('nt of a Young Adult Ministry program that had fizzled out: its Web site. What needed to be done was pretty clear -- ne'); document.write('w content must be added on a regular basis. I felt called to do something about it, but my initial reaction was one of d'); document.write('isbelief. Who? Me? You want me to do this?
When the Lord said "yes", my next response was similar to '); document.write('Simon Peter\'s in the gospel reading: Not me, Lord! I am neither worthy nor capable of doing this!
Isaiah was afraid that he would die because he was an unclean sinner before the Lord. But the Lord ensu'); document.write('red that he was cleansed of sin, and thus when the Lord asked, "Whom shall I send?" Isaiah replied, "Here I am... send '); document.write('me!"
St. Paul believed himself to be "the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because [he] pe'); document.write('rsecuted the church of God." And yet Christ appeared to him, and he not only converted to Christianity, but also becam'); document.write('e one of the greatest fishers of men.
Simon Peter, in Luke\'s gospel, implored Jesus to leave his presence because'); document.write(' he was a sinful man. But Jesus had other ideas, and Peter followed him, eventually becoming another great fisher of me'); document.write('n.
The thing these three have in common is the fear of being unworthy and incapable of accomplishing the task bei'); document.write('ng asked of them. It is exactly the way I felt when the Lord asked me to head out for deeper waters and use the \'Net to'); document.write(' catch men and women for him. I was not a writer, but the Spirit has worked through me. Since that spring, I have writ'); document.write('ten one or more articles each week -- every week -- and the Lord continues to inspire me.
I am not unusual, thoug'); document.write('h. As Christians, we are all called to go forth and be fishers of men. It is not easy. It is not comfortable. '); document.write(' It is not always safe. But it is what Jesus has asked us to do. So hop in those boats, head out to deeper waters, and'); document.write(' start casting those nets!
Have you ever felt "called" by God? Explain.
How');
document.write(' do you talk about God outside of Church? To co-workers?
Where are your "deeper waters"? What does that mean to y');
document.write('ou?
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