Message of Abbot Paul - Sunday 6th February

Message from Fr Paul for Sunday, 6th February 2022

 I know I have mentioned this many times before, but one of the things that fascinates me most about the Gospels is the different accounts the four evangelists give of the same event. At no time has the Church, either in the early days or in more recent times, ever attempted to adjust or change the texts, making them agree one with the other. This is true, for example, in the case of the calling of the first disciples. Today we read Luke’s account, which differs substantially from Mark and Matthew, the other Synoptics, let alone from John, which derives from a very different source and tradition. Let’s look at Luke, (Lk 5: 1-11), and the miraculous catch of fish, a miracle and, at the same time, a parable.

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 “Jesus was standing one day by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the crowd pressing round him listening to the word of God, when he caught sight of two boats close to the bank. The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats – it was Simon’s – and asked him to put out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.” Jesus always preached in the open air and often at the edge of the Sea of Galilee, here called the Lake of Gennesareth. When the crowds were pressing round him, he would get into a boat and use that as a pulpit to prevent a crush and for the acoustic, so that he could be better seen and heard, Today we are given more details: we are told that there were two boats and that the one he used belonged to Peter. The fishermen were washing their nets, so they had returned from fishing. The fact that he sat rather than stood also emphasises his authority as a teacher. Once he has finished teaching the crowds, he turns his attention to Peter.

 “When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all night long and caught nothing, but if you say so, I will pay out the nets.’ And when they had done this, they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear, so they signalled to their companions in the other boat to come and help them; when these came, they filled the two boats to sinking point. Jesus realises that Peter and his companions have had a bad night and caught nothing. They are exhausted and upset and yet he says to Peter, “Put out into the deep and pay out your nets for a catch.” Peter explains the futility of such action, nevertheless he obeys. Jesus remains with them in the boat. They net so many fish that the boat is in danger of sinking, so they call their friends in the other boat to come and help. There are so many fish, that both boats are close to sinking. Peter then recognises Jesus to be the Lord. “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus saying, ‘Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.’ For he and all his companions were completely overcome by the catch they had made; so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were Simon’s partners. But Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on it is men you will catch.’ Then, bringing their boats back to land, they left everything and followed him.” His words are a confession of faith that reflect his statement at Caesarea Philippi in Matthew, (Mt 16: 16), “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus says to Peter and his companions that they must not be afraid, for they will become fishers of men, at which they drop tools, leave everything and follow him. Thus, they become his disciples.

 We could be wondering at this stage what Jesus is asking of us, that we, too, leave everything? I don’t think all calls are quite as radical as that. Perhaps he is asking us to focus more on the mission that each Christian is given at Baptism, which is to proclaim and share with others the graces and blessings of our faith. The miraculous parable also shows us that with Jesus in our lives and standing with us, great things, unexpected things, miraculous things are possible. If we put out into the deep with Jesus, then that miraculous catch will be ours. Jesus is encouraging us not to lose hope when all appears to be lost and that is an important message for his Church today, especially in this country.