Bible Study Notes: St Luke's Gospel
Session 16 : Chapter 5, 1-11
Once when he was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret,
the crowd was pushing in on him to better hear the Word of God. He noticed
two boats tied up. The fishermen had just left them and were out scrubbing
their nets. He climbed into the boat that was Simon's and asked him to
put out a little from the shore. Sitting there, using the boat for a pulpit,
he taught the crowd.
When he finished teaching, he said to Simon, "Push out into deep
water and let your nets out for a catch."
Simon said, "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't
caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I'll let out the nets."
It was no sooner said than done - a huge haul of fish, straining the nets
past capacity. They waved to their partners in the other boat to come
help them. They filled both boats, nearly swamping them with the catch.
Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell to his knees before Jesus. "Master,
leave. I'm a sinner and can't handle this holiness. Leave me to myself."
When they pulled in that catch of fish, awe overwhelmed Simon and everyone
with him. It was the same with James and John, Zebedee's sons, coworkers
with Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, "There is nothing to fear. From now on you'll
be fishing for men and women." They pulled their boats up on the
beach, left them, nets and all, and followed him.
© The
Message
The thing about Christianity is that it is a dynamic and essentially missionary religion. If we look at St Luke's second book, the Acts of the Apostles we shall find it's all about missionary enterprise, beginning with Pentecost.
You can almost feel St Luke's deep commitment to evangelism, he has discovered something so amazing that he cannot but speak of it. Rather like if we were to discover some cure for a terminal illness; we would proclaim it from the housetops and go on proclaiming it. After all we do it all the time with shops we discover, 'have you heard about that lovely deli on Holland Park Ave?' and so on, though not with our faith/religion, I suspect.
Luke does not doe this from a sense of religious imperialism but from an acknowledgement of the work of God's divine grace. All that he says is wrapped in the mystery of Christ's loving appeal to the human heart responding in faith
This is nowhere better illustrated than in our reading today. He wonderfully sets the story within the context of the working lives of some fishermen. So we to can set this story in the context of our own lives, in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.
There was a flourishing fishing industry around the shores of the lake of Galilee, a small lake only 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. The fishermen on this lake used broad nets to encircle an area and then drew the nets in a narrowing circle as they pulled it into the boat. Then when it was gathered together they would take the fish out and into a receiving net.
Once their day's work was finished they would need to wash the nets and hang them up to dry along the sides of the boat. This is what Simon Peter and his fellow fishermen had just done when Jesus turns up and starts to proclaim the Word of God. A crowd gathers and as people crane to hear what Jesus has to say they force him closer the lake's edge. Jesus asks permission to use the boat as his sea-borne pulpit.
One can presume that Peter would have known him as the popular speaker in Capernaum and possible, not beyond the realms of imagination, as a carpenter. The fact that in our previous session He cured his mother-in-law of a fever probably meant that they were good friends; so no problem in asking a favour.
Now here is the strange thing, after Jesus finishes His teaching He suggests to Peter that he get back in the boat and starts fishing again. I can only imagine how fed up he must have felt, out all night, caught nothing, washed their nets and now He is telling them to get back out on the lake. You can almost sense the frustration in Peter's voice, "Master, we've been fishing hard all night and haven't caught even a minnow. But if you say so, I'll let out the nets".
You can imagine what was going on in his mind, 'Well, He might be a good preacher and a great healer, but what the heck does He know about fishing?'
Jesus persisted, Peter relented and off they went. Perhaps thinking he might teach Jesus a lesson about fishing! Remarkably something amazing happens, Peter and his crew are completely overwhelmed by the catch of fish, miraculous by any standard, straining the nets to breaking point, threatening to sink the boat!
Peter cannot believe and falls in amazement! In awe, a mixture of wonder and dread, Peter exclaims, "Master, leave. I'm a sinner and can't handle this holiness. Leave me to myself". How often have we said that to Jesus?
But extraordinarily Jesus use this experience of a little miracle to invite them to participate in a far greater mystery, the missionary task of calling all people to accept the love and security offered by Jesus. Arriving back at the beach they leave everything and follow Jesus.
Why does Luke tell us that these successful, prosperous businessmen drop everything and follow Jesus?
What was it that cased such a drastic reaction?
Was it just the little miracle that changed their hearts or was it, perhaps their fuller experience of Jesus, of their witnessing His healing in the Synagogue?
The lesson for us is of course as always with Jesus very simple. It is always through the simplicity of our daily lives that Jesus Calls us to the vocation of love. Jesus begins with what we know and helps us to see the hidden mystery - what we do not seem to know - buried in our regular working lives and pastimes.
Jesus was very direct, He tells them what is going to happen; no Mission Action Plans, no job specifications, no contracts of employment, just the simple invitation to become disciples of people.
So Christ calls each one of us to be missionaries of love. Jesus appeals to us from the gifts we use to live with in our every day lives. However 'ordinary' we think our lives might be, whatever we do, we all have God-given gifts and it these that Jesus wants to use as He calls us to be disciples of Love.
The Gospel of Love is the deep still point in the centre of each one of us. Whether one is a fisherman, a financier or fireman it makes little difference. Each gift is the occasion for witnessing the love of Jesus and holds the potential for being a missionary event. Ultimately it is not what we do, but who we are. The more we are in touch with the divine centre of Love; the more we will radiate love to all who we serve and meet.
Christ calls each of us to "leave our nets" and follow Him in the sense that Jesus asks us to let go of the way our occupations and preoccupations dominate our lives and thoughts. Let Love command our hearts and works and then we can make each task an opportunity for affection for others.
© Fr Michael Fuller: March 2009