Thursday, September 5, 2002

22nd Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: 1 Cor 3:18-23

Gospel: Lk 5:1-11

One day, as Jesus stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, with a crowd gathered around him listening to the word of God, he caught sight of two boats left at the water's edge by the fishermen now washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to pull out a little from the shore. There he sat and continued to teach the crowd.

When he had finished speaking he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon replied, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing. But if you say so, I will lower the nets." This they did and caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats almost to the point of sinking.

Upon seeing this, Simon Peter fell at Jesus' knees, saying, "Leave me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and his companions were amazed at the catch they had made and so were Simon's partners, James and John, Zebedee's sons.
Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid. You will catch people from now on." So they brought their boats to land and followed him, leaving everything.

Commentary

The very first disciples whom Jesus called according to Luke were fishermen, who knew their trade well. They had fished in vain during the previous night. But trusting in Jesus' word who would fish them, Peter and his companions cast their nets and to their great surprise made a very big catch. Awe - the same response which people had in the experience of teaching and healing - overtook the first disciples. Receiving the mission of becoming fishers of people, they left everything and followed him. Those of us who are engaged in pastoral care in one form or another, do we do it relying on God's Word or mainly on our professional expertise?

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