Today's Regnum Christi
Putting
Out into the Deep
September 1, 2005
Fr Robert Presutti
Luke 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 they 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.
Introductory prayer: Holy Spirit, enable me to pray with
love and fervor. Stir up in my heart a real longing for communion
with you.
Petition: Lord Jesus, work in my life and make it
the arena for your Gospel.
1. Preparation for a Miracle. Jesus prepares the
call of his first apostles by preaching a message intended not for
them, but for the crowds that pressed him in on Lake Gennesaret.
Jesus preaches to the crowd, steps into Peters boat, and seems to
be completely absorbed with the crowd while Peter and his
companions look on and listen. Yet Jesus is preparing himself for
the biggest catch of the day, not the crowd, but his first
apostles. Jesus is the master of knowing what we need at every
moment, even when it does not seem he is paying attention to us.
Even his apparent forgetfulness of us is really part of his ongoing
plan for our souls.
2. Put Out into the Deep . The best human
assessment of the situation might lead the prudent to judge Jesus
as out of touch. Nothing human could have led Peter to put out into
the deep. The nets had just been cleaned and stored, and the prime
fishing hours the night had passed unsuccessfully. Humanly
speaking, there was no reason to do what Jesus asked. Yet, Peters
faith had been prepped and primed by his listening to Christs
teaching the crowd, and Christs word had already begun to work in
his heart. Peter puts the oars back in the water, unfurls the nets
and lets them down, in Jesus name. Christs command is a prelude
to a wonderful miracle. And the miracle comes as a result of
obedience in faith to Christs command. Faith in Christs word
makes the miracle. Without faith, there can be no miracle.
3. A Lot of Big Fish. Peter had never had such a big catch of big
fish. And he would never have another one like it, till after the
Resurrection when Christ would repeat the miracle. Christ reveals
himself as the most remarkable fisherman ever to walk the shores of
Gennessaret. He is the fullness not only of the divine but also of
the human. Christ brings us not only to the fulfillment of our
supernatural vocation. He also leads us to the fullness of
humanity.
Dialogue with Christ: Jesus, as you step into the
boat of my life, you ask me to put out into the deep. Teach me
trust in you. Teach me how to put out into the deep in your
name.
Resolution: I will avoid all complaining today,
and do all things in Christs name.