3-Sep-15

Gospel 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.

Reflection:
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.”
This is the effect the words of Jesus Christ have on the minds and hearts of men. Having heard him, we are prepared to do that which by human standards makes no sense.
"When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish
and their nets were tearing."
This too has been the experience in my life. When I follow Jesus' direction, the rewards are beyond my wildest expectations.
Twenty-seven years ago, Jesus inspired two people to begin My Brother's Keeper and bring his love and hope to those in despair. Today, the prayers of over 100,000 families have been answered, and "His Love" continues to fill the nets of the My Brother's Keeper community.
"When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said,
Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Amazingly, Jesus did not choose to work through the wise and learned. Instead, he chose lowly fishermen and sinful tax collectors to spread God's message of love and forgiveness.
Perhaps he did so because he knew that a sinful man knows what it feels like to need God's forgiveness and therefore is more likely to be empathetic to the heart that needs healing.
I am not proud that I am a sinner, but I am grateful to be able to see my sinfulness. For Jesus came not for the righteous but to save the sinner.
Thank you Lord for using me, a sinful man.

“They say the best men are moulded out of faults,
and, for the most, become much more the better
for being a little bad.” William Shakespeare