sept 7 2006

1 Cor 3:18-23 Brothers and sisters: Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age,let him become a fool, so as to become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: God catches the wise in their own ruses, and again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. So let no one boast about human beings, for everything belongs to you, Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or the present or the future: all belong to you, and you to Christ, and Christ to God.

Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (1) To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;the world and those who dwell in it.For he founded it upon the seasand established it upon the rivers.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?or who may stand in his holy place?He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,who desires not what is vain.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,a reward from God his savior.Such is the race that seeks for him,that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.

Lk 5:1-11 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.

Peter knew that from what he saw with the fish that only a divine presence could accomplish these acts. In the middle of the day to put the nets down in the deep, would often result in an empty net but with Jesus it resulted in nets so full that they were ripping the nets and almost sinking the boats. James and John were also astonished. They were ready at the moment to put down their way of life and give up everything to follow Jesus. Jesus tells them to not be afraid that they will now be fishers of men.

I think that it is always that Jesus calls me to do a new thing and I wonder how I can do it and there is something from what I have done before and the faith that this is the right thing to do that make it all work.

There is a sense of willingness to accept the moment in fishing. I could cast and reel in the bait and cast and reel and nothing happens for a long time then a school of fish come into the area and everything is happening at once.

For me fishing requires patience and a ready nature to adjust to the situation at the moment. Fishing also requires not giving up. After not catching fish all day in the gospel story, the last cast of the nets yielded an abundant catch. Sometimes I will work hard all day and not seem to have any evidence of a "catch" or reward for the work.

I trust that the Lord will provide and I will continue to be faithful and patient in my faith journey no matter how many empty nets there are on the way. I pray this morning that during this day I may be a light and a sign of hope and goodness to all those who meet me on the God's journey to the kingdom today whoever they are and wherever they may be in their lives.