"Duc in altum" - set out to deeper waters the Lord Jesus tells a group of fishermen which included Simon Peter, his brother Andrew, and the sons of Zebedee, also nicknamed the Sons of Thunder, James and John.
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| Image from ocarm.org |
Simon, soon to be renamed Cephas or Peter, and his companions have fished the whole night and they caught nothing until the early morning. While still on the waters, the Lord Jesus Christ came and chose to come up Simon's boat, sits down to preach to the waiting people. Afterwards, He tells them to set out to deeper waters and to let down the nets. Simon tries to explain that they have been out the whole night and they caught nothing: how much more when it's already daytime? But still they obeyed - one important reason is that they heard Him talk differently that they thought it's worth trying - and then something happened: they caught so many fish that they have to call others to help them to keep their boat from capsizing! Simon knew that he was in the presence of someone who's not ordinary and he immediately declared his unworthiness to be with the miracle-worker. But the Lord said nothing about it; instead He told them that from then on they will become fishers of men. And they left everything and followed Him [Luke 5:11].
In this Year of Faith, we are being challenged once again by the Lord to set out to deeper waters and fish for more. Amid the growing secularism, modernism and indifference of the world we are being called to cast out the nets of love in order for us to have an abundant catch of new followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. One way of doing it is by concretely practicing the corporal works of mercy like what this secular Franciscan brother shares.
May we also have listening hearts in order to fully respond positively to the call of the Lord to become fishers of men. Remember that we are not being invited by the Lord as servants to accomplish some works that we do not have any real concern about but as friends who have been given the chance to know deeply the meaning of the mission which He entrusts upon our shoulders [see John 15: 12-17].
In this Year of Faith, we are being challenged once again by the Lord to set out to deeper waters and fish for more. Amid the growing secularism, modernism and indifference of the world we are being called to cast out the nets of love in order for us to have an abundant catch of new followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. One way of doing it is by concretely practicing the corporal works of mercy like what this secular Franciscan brother shares.
May we also have listening hearts in order to fully respond positively to the call of the Lord to become fishers of men. Remember that we are not being invited by the Lord as servants to accomplish some works that we do not have any real concern about but as friends who have been given the chance to know deeply the meaning of the mission which He entrusts upon our shoulders [see John 15: 12-17].
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