Luke 5: 1-11
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and ask him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
A Thought
Here Jesus calls his first disciples who had been fishing hard all night and had not caught anything. After following Jesus’ instructions, Simon Peter and another boat caught so many fish, both boats had begun to sink. Simon then acknowledges that he is a sinful man. Jesus then tells them that they will from now on catch men. They then pulled their boats to shore and left everything and followed Jesus. Jesus has commanded each of us to be ‘fishers of men’. This simply put means that our call is to make disciples for Jesus Christ through the forgiveness of sins. Do you have any good fish stories to tell?
Our Prayer
Father help us to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and to be willing to go and be ‘fishers of men’ by telling our story of salvation to others and inviting them to join the journey to be more like Christ. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
