“Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips” (Is. 6:5).
In January I was with a bishop from East Africa, a friend from the last few years, who was speaking about the revitalization of Christian faith that happened in his country a hundred years ago. The bishop told us that the effect of this revival continues to echo in the countries of East Africa: in other words, people are coming to faith today because of spiritual experiences that took place a century ago. It’s a little reminder that we can never know the real impact of our ministries as Christians because the knock on effects are hidden from us.
My friend’s point was that the revival in East Africa began with the consciousness of sin: of unworthiness, of failure, of inadequacy at the very least. I thought to myself as I listened that in a vibe culture where we are taught to “accentuate the positive” this witness might fall on deaf ears. After all, who wants to hear about the ways they have fallen short? Still, this powerful spiritual experience of unworthiness on the part of people years ago, as the bishop told the story, transformed and continues to transform the lives of people all over the world.
As St. Paul says, “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom. 5:20). Inadequate theologies are built on the absence of shadow, but Paul’s theology rests on the bright line between sin and the grace that overwhelms it. “Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Rom. 5:20).
Our reading from the prophet Isaiah reflects this same consciousness. The prophet is privy to a vision of the Lord God, seated on a high and lofty throne. The hem of God’s robe fills the temple in Jerusalem; seraphim or angels hover over him, reverently veiling their faces and their bodies. In the vision, the seraphs are singing a song of praise to the Lord of hosts, the One who commands the armies of Israel and the angelic host as well. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3). The foundation of the temple is shaken by the sound of the voices, and the house is filled with smoke, recalling God’s appearance to the People on Mount Sinai. It’s a vision of power and glory that simply overwhelms the prophet.
Like those folks the bishop told me about, Isaiah’s response reflects his sense of unworthiness, his sense of sin. As we heard at the beginning of this sermon, “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips” (Is. 6:5). The word that gets translated in our version as “lost” could also be rendered “silent,” giving us a prophet who is speechless and unable to join in the angelic song of praise. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3). Given the overpowering nature of the vision, it’s a natural response, to be rendered speechless; but of course it’s more than that. Isaiah is “a man of unclean lips” (Is. 6:5), who is unworthy to join in the song.
The apostle Peter echoes Isaiah’s words in our Gospel today, bringing the words of the Old Testament prophet into the parlance of the Church. “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Lk. 5:8), St. Peter says to Jesus as he falls down on his knees. He has just experienced the transformation that Jesus can effect in a situation, by turning the dearth of fish into an abundant catch. Now he’s seeing the transformation of his own life, as the fisherman is called to turn his hand to fishing for people.
Peter knows he is a sinful man, unworthy of the call; but of course, sinful people are exactly the ones who are called to serve! That’s the pool from which we draw; that’s the target audience. “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” (Lk. 5:8), is just the beginning of the story of conversion and call.
Today our confirmands are pointing the way for us. Built into the program is the notion that we are unequal to the task: that’s why repentance is a part of the Christian life. In a few moments, our confirmands, and all of us, will be asked, “Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord?” Where sin increases, grace and mercy and forgiveness abound all the more. God loves us in spite of ourselves, which is why we can always turn around and head back home.
One final word, to end: some of you may have noticed that the song the seraphim sing in Isaiah’s vision is also the song we sing at the Eucharist: “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. Heaven and earth are full of your glory!” There is a purpose and a message here. When we come to the altar, God takes away our unclean lips; a coal is brought from the altar and our sin is purged. No longer speechless, we are able to praise God with angels and archangels and the whole company of heaven. God does this through Jesus Christ, who shares new life with us in this Eucharist through his death and resurrection.