Christ The Servant
Catholic Church
Cold Springs, Ontario
Homily Selections
Put Out Into Deep Waters
(Luke 5:1-11)February 7, 2010
In today's Gospel Luke provides us with the story about Sea of Galilee fishermen that are called by Jesus to become Apostles. There are three interesting lines that merit reflection:
First, we hear how they've been out fishing all night on the Sea of Galilee with little success, then Jesus borrows Simon's boat and teaches the crowd on the shore and when he is finished, he turns to them and says, "Put out into deep waters and lower your nets." That is an amazing statement, one which we all need to consider. Of course, Simon Peter balks and tells how he knows all about fishing, and Jesus couldn't know anything, and there are no fish to be caught, but then he gives in and does what Jesus says. In a poetic way, we probably all feel like we've spent many an occasion out on the water all night and haven't caught anything, and along comes Jesus telling us to put out into deep waters. That's God, always pushing us out to go farther than we think we can go, into the unknown, into uncharted waters. So the question is: how is Jesus pushing us out into deep waters these days ? How are we going to respond to him?
Then, they make a big catch and both boats nearly sink because of the great number of fish, and how does Simon Peter respond? He falls at the knees of Jesus and says, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man." There is a great mystery here. The Gospel is telling us that whenever we enter into the presence of God, whenever we realize that we are in the presence of Christ, we suddenly recognize not only his light and holiness, but our failings. So the Gospel calls us to recognize our weaknesses as humans. But just
as Jesus does not condemn Simon Peter or us ; He loves us, forgives us and calls us. True, we are sinners but we are also greatly loved by God, and we need to look to Christ to help us and save us.
Finally, Jesus says this great line to Peter, "Do not be afraid. From now on, you will be catching men and women." With that, they leave their nets, their boats, the fish, and their parents and follow him. Jesus says the same thing to us today. He does not want us to live in fear. Instead he invites us to live in relationship with him, to follow him and to join his campaign to change the world by leading one another and all people to God and God's reign of love and peace. So we can ask ourselves: How are we dropping our nets and following Jesus? How do we practice discipleship to Christ today? How are we trying to catch people for Christ and the reign of God?
John Dear states, and I concur, that Jesus is the greatest person who ever lived, and he really is worth following, that it's worth it to drop our nets, change our lives, and try to follow in his footsteps. It's also critically important that each one of us join his project of calling people to discipleship, of catching people for Christ, of being fishers of men and women. There are a lot of movements these days, support this...support that, but the Gospel campaign of Jesus is the only one worth joining, the one worth giving our lives for. But, what does it means to join the Gospel campaign of Jesus? In this world of hate, indifference and fear, our job is to catch people for Christ's love.
In this world of gossip, pettiness, hypocrisy and lies, our job is to catch people for Christ's truth.
In this world of enmity, resentment, grudges, and revenge, our job is to catch people for Christ's compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation.
In this world of injustice and oppression, our job is to catch people for Christ's justice.
In this world of selfishness and greed, our job is to catch people for Christ's way of selfless service.
In this world of violence and bombing raids and colonial occupation, our job is to catch people for Christ's nonviolence.
In this world of war, nuclear weapons, imperialism, and global militarism, our job is to catch people for Christ's peace.
In this world of despair and death, our job is to catch people for Christ's hope, for the new life of God's reign of resurrection. From now on, we are catching men and women for the nonviolent Christ.
Our presence and work here at CTS is I believe an indicator that we are active participants in the Jesus Movement to peace and
love!
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