MSC Magazine | Issue 4 | Summer 2020

Page 5| Missionaries of the Sacred Heart Novitiate Reception Ceremony Vincent Phong Phan, Anh Nguyen and Fr Chris McPhee Homily : Novitiate Reception Ceremony by Peter Harvey- Jackson msc We read the scene by the Lake in Luke’s Gospel Ch. 5: 1 -11 Jesus is inviting Peter to take on something more than a casual friendship. Jesus invites Peter: “Follow me!” Peter’s protest is saying to Jesus. “I can’t do this I am full of defects and you are so close to God. I won’t be able to keep up, it is too much.” Does this sound familiar? Jesus reassures Peter in words we know so well. ” Do not be afraid.” So Peter follows Jesus….. He gets to know Jesus and sees how he lives and acts and he listens to him preaching. It is probably in Peter’s boat that the disciples and Jesus cross the Lake Gennesaret. As we follow Peter in the Gospels we find he is im- pulsive and ‘full of faults and failings ‘ and he stumbles along the way as he follows Jesus. But he has become very close to Jesus and he finds he loves Jesus. We see Peter in all his humanness, full of good intentions, frail but loveable,…..just like us. Yet this is the man he chooses to be the Shepherd of his flock. After Jesus’ death Peter will lead his church for the next thirty years. Jesus called Peter and Peter responded in all his humanness. That is what Jesus is asking of you Anh and Vincent as you enter the Novitiate this evening. Jesus calls us because he wants us to be his friends and carry on his work of love and service. Anh and Vincent , we welcome you to our community and we promise you our support and prayers. We pray that during your Novitiate year you will like Peter grow in your love and friendship for Jesus and become absolutely convinced in your hearts that you are loved by God unconditionally; loved without any reser- vation. And remember Jesus’ words to Peter and to you….. ‘Do not be afraid.’ Anh and Vincent with Chris McPhee at Douglas Park