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

Early Christian Greek circular "ΙΧΘΥΣ" symbol

 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 ask 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 left the synagogue where He had been preaching and entered Simon's house.  But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her.  So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her.  And immediately she arose and served them.  When the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them and healed them.  And demons also came out of many, crying out and 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.  Now when it was day, He departed and went into a deserted place.  And the crowd sought Him and came to Him, and tried to keep Him from leaving them; but He said to them, "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.  Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and ask him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.   The Lake of Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee.  Gennesaret was a name for this region where these men fish; it was known for its abundance of both fishing and also agricultural resources.  The Lake or Sea itself is about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide.  Jesus sat down and taught:  sitting is the traditional Jewish position for a teacher.  In the Church this would continue, as some early Christian preachers sat while the people stood (for example, St. John Chrysostom).  A bishop's seat is the symbol of teaching.

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."  Jesus tells them to launch out into the deep:  St. Ambrose sees in this command a spiritual invitation -- to give one's life over to the deep mystery of the knowledge of the Son of God.

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. My study bible suggests that the Lord draws people to Himself by things that are familiar to them.  As He drew the Magi with a star (Matthew 2:2), as He would draw tax collectors by a tax collector (5:39), here He draws the fishermen with  fish (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23). 

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!"  Peter's response in the face of divine power is not a rejection of Jesus (contrast with 8:37).  This is in fact a recognition of truth.  Peter, suddenly cast in the light of Christ, responds as do other holy people, by becoming keenly aware of their own unworthiness (compare Isaiah 6:5; Revelation 1:17). 

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.  My study bible says that the great catch of fish is an image of the apostles bringing mankind to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and it fulfills the prophecy of Jeremiah 16:16.  At Pentecost, an Orthodox hymn declares, "Through the fishermen, You drew the world into Your net."

In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus has a parable which uses the image of a dragnet for the kingdom of God:  it was cast into the sea, where it caught some of "every kind."  Eventually the good were separated from the bad and kept, while the bad were discarded.  Jesus uses this as an image of the Judgment at the end of the age (see Matthew 13:47-50).  In today's reading, the nets that catch the great abundance of fish do so at the command of Christ.  He is the One who holds the keys to the secrets of the world (see Matthew 13:35, quoting Psalm 78:2).  He is the One at whose direction we are able to live a truly fruitful and productive life.  Even the place where these men fish holds great symbolism.  Its name is derived from the word for "garden," most likely meaning "gardens of the prince."   It's also been called "the paradise of Galilee" for its abundance and fertility, both for fishing and in the adjoining plain for agriculture.  The true Prince is the Creator of this world, the One who directs these men where to place their nets for an extraordinary haul of fish.  Fish are in themselves a sign of abundance, fertility, and wealth in cultures around the world.  Moreover, as we know, the first century Greek word for fish (ἰχθύς /ixthys) would come to be known as an acronym or acrostic, a symbol of faith.  Each letter is taken as the first of a word in the following phrase:   Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior (Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ).  In Greek, these capital letters can be combined atop one another into a circular symbol (see illustration above).  In keeping with the symbolism of abundance, the fish would also come to symbolize the Eucharist and its birth from the multiplication of the fish and the loaves.  These "fishers of men," then are born in today's reading as those whose work, commanded by Christ and in synergy with the Holy Spirit, will produce abundant multitudes.  If we look at the dragnet symbolism of Jesus' parable at the end of Matthew 13, those who will be drawn by the fishermen include all people.  So it is with our churches:   the doors are open to all.  What takes place in the heart in response to the word of Christ and its distribution in the world is a matter for the Judgment at the end of the age.  What Christ gives to each of us is the capacity to become a fisher of men.  It is through His word and instruction that all may come to hear the word.  How each one responds can be as abundant as all the fish in sea; but the question is one for each of us:  How will you respond?  These men leave all to follow Him.  Who guides your life and what you do?