Reflection on today’s Gospel 12

There is nothing much really to speak about in today’s reading in the Gospel, Luke 5:1-11. Similar to reflection 10, today’s gospel borders on faith and in the same vein ‘it is a call for us to reconsider the level of our faith in God.’ We are offered today a reflective episode between Jesus and Simon Peter. Though that might look like something we could simply do ourselves, but when the ugly reality of life falls upon us we may not be that strong enough to stand up to it. When the splashy waters of the world’s squalliest ocean pricked on us like thorns, we would only try as hard as we could to swim against the thorny tide, while we hope to fish the good news of a Gospel’s message that brings to us rewarding answers. But it is only then, inevitably, we will realize that it is only the faith in God’s word is all that we need to swim through all the tides, not our self-righteousness.

When Jesus said to Peter, “put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch,” he (Peter) responded “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” Peter’s response- ‘but at your command I will lower the nets’- can be likened to Mary’s instruction to Christ’s disciples during the wedding at Cana- ‘do whatever he tells you,’ and both statements have relative undertone of faith.

Even though Peter was full of imperfections, like us, God chose him and he had faith in God’s words. Peter knows and accepts the fact that the product of God’s missionary work does not belong to him, but rather belongs to the recipients' of God’s message, which are all of us. As Jesus told the Apostles that they would no longer be fishermen but fishers of men, he is telling us today the same. He is the fisherman; the good disciple is the net (you and me) that catches the fish; and this net works if it is used as Peter and other Apostles did- abandoning their various occupations and following him. Saint Ireneus of Lyon rightly said that, “he who is conscious of his sinful nature is also able to recognize his condition of creature, and this recognition places us before the clear evidence of a Creator that transcend us.” Only when we boldly accomplish our Lord’s wish when our situation turns out otherwise that we will be able to appreciate better God’s purpose for us.