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 arose from the synagogue (where He had cast out an unclean demon) 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 asked him to put out a little from the land.  And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.  My study Bible explains that the Lake of Gennesaret is also known as the Sea of Galilee.  It is a very large lake:  about 13 miles long and 7 miles wide.  Sitting was the traditional position for a teacher.  

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.  Jesus commands St. Peter (Simon):  "Launch out into the deep."  My study Bible points out that St. Ambrose sees the spiritual meaning in this command as an invitation to give one's life over to the deep mystery of the knowledge of the Son of God.   Moreover, this great number of fish -- so big that their net was breaking -- illustrates the principle that God draws people to Himself by things that are familiar to them.  My study Bible comments that, as He drew the Magi with a star (Matthew 2:2), and would draw tax collectors by a tax collector (Matthew 5:29), here Christ 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!"  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. My study Bible tells us that Simon Peter's cry in the face of divine power is not a rejection of Jesus (contrast this with Luke 8:37).  On the contrary, when suddenly cast in the light of Christ, holy people such as Peter become keenly  aware of their own unworthiness (compare Isaiah 6:5; Revelation 1:17).  

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 this great catch of fish is an image of the apostles bringing humankind to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that it fulfills the prophecy of Jeremiah 16:16.   In the Orthodox festal hymn of Pentecost, it is sung to Christ, "Through the fishermen, You drew the world into Your net." 

Clearly there was already familiarity between Jesus and St. Peter and his family; after all, we just read of Christ's healing of St. Peter's mother-in-law (see Saturday's reading, above).   Through John's Gospel, we know that Saints Peter, John, and James Zebedee were first followers of St. John the Baptist, who brought them to Christ.  But perhaps the most important and striking feature of today's reading is just what my study Bible commented:  that "God draws people to Himself by things that are familiar to them."  Surely that great catch of fish counts as one of the signs of Christ, that the Kingdom is present with Him.  This the fishermen most surely can understand, and it would make an indelible impression.  No doubt it sealed the decision to follow Christ as full-time participants in His ministry.  We can also look at this picture symbolically.  That great catch of fish is like an astonishing, overwhelming promise.  If Christ can do this, is it not a kind of promise of what abundance He can bring into their lives?  Devoting themselves to Christ will bring an impossible-to-calculate abundance of fruits, of "fish" so to speak, in those faithful believers that will follow the disciples and come after them in time.  And so the abundance of fish is indeed a promise about the spiritual fruitfulness of their lives, and how they wish to devote them in the future.  When St. Peter is overwhelmed by what he perceives truly to be Christ's great holiness, Jesus tells him, "Do not be afraid.  From now on you will catch men."  This is truly a promise indeed, and one made for the glory of God.  Would that we all could receive such a grand promise for our futures in Christ.