SCRIPTURE
LUKE 5:1-15
The Call of Simon the Fisherman.
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.
REFLECTIONS
the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God
Jesus is teaching the Word of God. Jesus is the Word of God made flesh. Are we as hungry and eager to hear the Word of God as those who press near Jesus? Or are we content with just the readings we hear at Mass? Dust off that Bible and to see and listen to the Word of God speaking to me and you.
Jesus teaches from a boat, the Ark of Salvation. As God told Noah and his household to go into the Ark of old for safety, Now Christ is welcoming us into the Bark of Peter. The Boat itself is a Symbol for the Church,,
The Boat holds the Apostles, and symbolically all of Christ’s Disciples. “The World is a Sea in which the Church, like a Ship, is beaten by the waves, but not submerged. We, too, are doing God’s Work, fishing for People, in Peter’s Boat, the Church.
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
“Duc in altum! (Put into the deep). Pope St. John Paul II spoke on this subject of “putting out into the deep” often. John Paul II insisted that God is calling each of us to a deeper life – one full of meaning, purpose and joy. one needs to open one’s heart to the abundance of grace to allow the word of the Redeemer to act with all its power: ‘Duc in altum!’
What would it look like if we submitted our entire will to God? What kind of an impact would we have on the world? How fulfilling and peaceful would life become?
“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Peter. an experienced fisherman, was reluctant at first but then in the presence of Jesus he said, but at your command I will lower the nets. When Peter saw the great number of fish, he was in awe and fell on his knees in adoration. Peter knew only God controlled nature, fishes and the sea. Peter was in the presence of someone very special. How do we feel and react when we are in the presence of Jesus? You know He is active in our lives and present in Word and Sacrament. Are we reluctant at first to say, thy will be done?
Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.
I WILL MAKE YOU A FISHER OF MEN
We, too, at our Baptism are commissioned to be fishers of men. As the age old saying goes, a rising tide lifts all boats. We must be that rising tide. No one gets to heaven by themselves. It takes a faith community. We cannot abandon the Church to the wolves within or without. We must sacrificially love her all the more as she undergoes this purification of love from the hands of her Founder, Jesus Christ.
This, after all, is Christ’s Church! There is no “plan B” through which He will save this world. He established one Church through which to continue His work until His return. His Church has undergone similar purifications and reform many times over the last two thousand years. Her hull may be battered but she is still the Ark of Salvation. “The gates of hell will not prevail against her”.
God’s plans are infinitely better than anything we can come up with ourselves. When we listen to God and act on His word, He will produce an abundant catch of souls. This “catch” will come in an unexpected way at an unexpected time and will clearly be the work of God.
SCRIPTURE
LUKE 5:27-32
CARRAVAGIO PAINTING OF CALL OF LEVI (MATTHEW)
The Call of Levi.
After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind,* he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
REFLECTIONS
The painting of Carravagio above shows in great detail the context of Matthew’s call in the custom house where taxes were collected for Rome on merchants who came to buy or sell in Israel. Religious leaders especially despised the tax collectors. They were considered unclean because of their contact with Romans When Jesus made friends with the tax collectors his ministry was immediately under suspect.
In the painting, Matthew and his companions were dressed in rich attire from their profiting but Jesus was in simple peasant clothing. Greed had filled the hearts of tax collectors to exploiting their own kin. Let greed not turn our hearts.
Another interesting factoid is the hand of Jesus pointing to Matthew is a copy of Michaelangelo’ God the Father hand stretching to Adam in the creation of man.
As Adam is called into being so is Matthew. When we are called by God, how do we respond? I, also, found it interesting in the painting, Matthew pointing to himself. It’s like are you sure you are asking me, a sinner, a publican, to join you. Who me? Are you sure?
Jesus can reshape any pot of clay that is already formed. Just let him in. It doesn’t matter how long we have been away from Him or maybe never gave a thought to Him. Can we answer the call like Matthew, And leaving everything behind,* he got up and followed him!
We don’t know exactly what happened in the intervening time when Matthew left with Jesus and Matthew holding a banquet in Jesus’ honor. But we suspect the conversion was similar to St. Paul’s when he met Jesus and heard him.
God does not mince words and speaks with authority. You have to be deaf, dumb, and blind to ignore Jesus once you really experience Jesus. Do you just know about Jesus or have you embraced Him like Mary Magdalene? My yoke is easy and burden light! Yoke yourself to Jesus, give it a try. You won’t be disappointed!
Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners
To face down the religious leaders criticism, whose hearts are hardened, Jesus explains how he can’t do anything for the self-righteous, that he came for sinners. Well, put me in that sheepfold. I want Jesus to come for me. It may be difficult to examine our consciences and face the Truth but it is better to enter that narrow gate then broadly go it on my own for all eternity. I did it My Way is the anthem of Hell!
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, have mercy on me, I am so sorry. I am asking for your mercy right now. Please forgive me for what I’ve done. I have a pain in my soul that needs to be mended. Father, forgive me for not forgiving others. Help me to practice love and respect. With all my heart, I love and adore you and I am sorry for my selfish behavior. Without your mercies and grace, I am nothing. But with your forgiveness, I am whole again. Give me the strength to live a holy life. I pray in Jesus’s name. Amen.