Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men

So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.  And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

 -  Luke 5:1-11

 On Saturday, we read that Jesus went into Simon Peter's house at Capernaum, where Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a fever.  Jesus rebuked the fever and she immediately rose and served them.  Late in the day as the sun was setting, all manner of people were brought to Jesus with various illnesses; He laid hands on them and healed them.  Demons also came out of many, saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of God!"  And He, rebuking them, did not allow them to speak, for they knew that He was the Christ.  The next day, Jesus went to a deserted place, but was followed by the people.  They sought to keep Him with them, but He said, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent."  And He was preaching in the synagogues of Galilee.

 So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.   The Lake of Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee.  It's a large lake, about 7 miles wide and 13 miles long.

Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  Several times in the Gospels there is an indication that the crowds were so large, Jesus had to speak from a boat.  It's an indication of His practicality and pragmatism:  whatever it takes to get the job done, He will do it!

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."  But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net."  And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.   There's a subtle sense to this story.  Jesus begins teaching the crowds from the boat, a creative answer to the problem of addressing the multitudes who've grown so large.  Here, Jesus' word expands, in a sense, the ways in which He opens up opportunities, an indication of an unceasingly creative Spirit at work.  Listening to Him, despite the rotten luck of no catch at all for the day (despite toiling all night), leads to a tremendous catch -- so great, in fact, their net was breaking.  It's a memorable scene, one they are sure never to forget. This catch is so great, they need to ask help from their friends.

And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  The catch is so great the boats are going to sink!  This is too much for Peter.  He's already called Jesus "Master," but here the strength of the full response of nature to Jesus' commands and directions is just too much.  Peter cannot take it in, literally and metaphorically, and kneels before Jesus, confessing his sinfulness.  It is a strong and instinctive response both to Jesus' authority, and an act of awe in an encounter with the divine.  It seems to me that Peter instinctively knows that in such an encounter, one cannot know what may result -- especially as he feels he is "sinful."   The fullness of the catch draws also the other two great disciples who will form, with Peter, Jesus' inner circle:  John and James Zebedee, Peter's fishing partners.

And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.  We can remark upon this willingness to automatically "forsake all" and follow Jesus, but I think we can't discount the impact of this scene, the results at following Jesus' directions.  It's a true sign of a holy man, one whom the multitudes already gather to hear.

It's a strong call to ministry that Peter and his friends James and John Zebedee witness in today's reading.  Not only had they toiled all night and caught nothing, but the overflow of the catch is astonishing.  Following Jesus' commands, not only is their labor astoundingly fruitful, He also brings in John and James Zebedee, more fisherman for the task of "catching men."  The multitudes gather for Jesus, and the multitudes of fish come into their nets, so great that it will sink the boats!  We get a picture of the abundance of life that is present in Jesus.  But there's more; in an encounter with this divine presence, whatever authority it is at work in Jesus, there is also humbling knowledge of ourselves.  Are we worthy of such great blessings?  How does the holy work in our lives?  Where is the awe that we feel when we understand truly what we encounter in Christ's presence?  This is the key, this knowledge of ourselves that Peter displays.  Our worldly toil means one thing, but with God's help, as Christ has said, all things are possible.  We just don't know where His abundance for the Way will lead us.  But we know enough to hear, and follow.