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
the boats 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.
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Reflection:
From ordinary fishermen to extra-ordinary
fishers of men, this is how we can best describe the lives of Simon Peter,
James and John. Who transformed them to become fishers of men? Jesus! Why were
they transformed by Jesus? Because they obeyed, they simply followed the
command of the Lord.
When we obey Jesus, extra-ordinary things
begin to happen to us; but how could we hear the voice of Jesus? How would we
know that Jesus is talking to us when we don’t see and feel His physical
presence?
Jesus speaks to us through the readings at
Holy Mass, Jesus speaks to us through the priest who studiously prepared for
his homily. Jesus speaks to us also when we read His words in the bible and
through the words and commentaries of well-meaning people.
Through these we hear Jesus calling us to
conversion and to faithfully follow Him. Nothing is impossible for as long as
we follow and for as long as we put our faith and trust in Jesus.
Simon Peter, James, John and the other
fishermen who were with them during that early morning obeyed the impossible
command of Jesus. To once again put their nets (A short distance from them)
into the sea because they would be catching the greatest number of fish. And
true enough they caught the biggest number of fish.
The moment you begin to obey Jesus
extra-ordinary things would begin to happen to you as well. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas