Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 1st September

Message from Fr Paul for Thursday, 1st September 2022

 “Fear not; you will become fishers of men.” This must be one of the most famous sayings of Jesus found in the Gospels. The words were directed at Simon after that first miraculous catch of fish, when, following an unsuccessful night, Jesus suggested he put out into deep water and pay out his net for a catch. Alone with his fellow fishermen, they had caught nothing, but obeying the voice of Jesus, the catch was so great that their nets began to tear and it took two boats to haul the fish ashore. With Jesus, what appears impossible becomes possible both in the workplace and, more importantly, in the mission to which Jesus is inviting Simon and his companions. Today we are reading from Luke, (Lk 5: 1-11). As a result of that encounter with Jesus, we are told that, “they left everything and followed him.”

 The episode began like this: “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.” Luke’s description conjures up a wonderful picture, does it not? Jesus needing a pulpit from which to preach, steps onto one of the boats he sees near the shoreline. It happens to be Simon’s. Because of the acoustic provided by the water, he is able to sit in order to address the crowds, reminding us of the patriarch Moses, who sat to address the people of Israel. Jesus is the new Moses who teaches us the new Law, new because it now comes directly from the mouth of God. It is a teaching supported and sustained by the miraculous works that give proof of the preacher’s identity. In his words and in his works, the disciples recognised Jesus to be the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.