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 they 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.
Introductory Prayer: Lord,
as we begin this meditation, I feel you have stepped into my boat. I put out a
short distance from shore, away from all my daily concerns, to listen to you
alone. It is just you and I, and I sense that you are going to ask something of
me. I am truly humbled and grateful that you would spend so much personal time
with me.
Petition: Christ, help me
to understand and embrace your call to holiness for me.
1. Teacher: Jesus taught by
the lake. We know that he taught in many other places too: in the Temple, in
synagogues, on mountains, among children. Today he had a great crowd around him
by the lake. For these people, the lake was everything: water, food,
transportation, an object of beauty and contemplation. Yet beneath its usually
still and deep blue surface, there was a whole other world unknown to them. How
appropriate that next to it, Christ, who could probe its depths, uncovered for
them the many mysteries of faith and the divine plan!
He can help us understand so many things that are a part of our
daily lives, yet in many ways remain unfamiliar or unintelligible to us.
2. Leader: It is one thing
to get the curious crowds to give you a moment of their attention, but quite
another to motivate people to give you their dedication and their life. Christ
knew that to get someone to commit, directing an interesting story to the
general public would not be enough. Personal attention was in order. Christ stepped
into Peter’s boat and asked him for a favor, a simple task: “Put out a short
distance from the shore.” Christ’s first tasks are usually not that hard for us
to execute: simply material compliance and a little generosity. But if we let
him ride with us long enough, he will eventually ask us for something that
demands faith and may go against our reason or personal comfort. We want Christ
to win us over for good, but how can he do so if we don’t let him take us for a
ride “out into the deep?”
3. Motivator: Do I
get surprised when Christ does something marvelous in my life? Does
astonishment seize me? Maybe I’m not surprised. Maybe I am thinking what is
good or successful in me originates from myself. Proud is the person who thinks
so. Proud, too, is the person who recognizes the hand of God and nevertheless
responds, “Leave me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” Christ just performed a
miracle through the obedience of a sinful man; why can’t he do it again? Why do
I respond, “Leave me, Lord,” unless I’m not ready to obey? When I call my
partners to come over and check it out, do I do so to allow this experience of
Christ to touch others? Or do I do so to help them see how greatly endowed I
am? If I am to become a fisher of men like Peter, I, too, must purify myself
from these all-too-human reactions. Don’t worry, my pettiness doesn’t faze
Christ. Listen to him: “Do not be afraid. You will become…”
Conversation with Christ: So
many souls are hustling through this world without knowing where they are going
and without enjoying your friendship as I do. I do not know if you want to
reach many or few of them through me, but I think they are many. My heart is
ready, O Lord. Fill me with apostolic zeal.
Resolution: I will work on being a good and positive motivator today
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