Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.” (Mt 13:47).

The invitation of God is universal and we are all lured by his invitation of love and intimacy. We long to belong, our very substance and essence as human beings is the reality that our ultimate fulfillment can only be reached in communion with the God who created us. Yet, though drawn, we resist being caught.

St Augustine (354-430) came to a point in his life where he realized that the flame of his desire for wealth, fame and pleasure was dimming. He clearly felt moved toward “the one reality that cannot decay, from which all other realities are derived.” Though he was caught in God’s net and being pulled in, Augustine still sought to wriggle free, for: “Though drawn to the Path, who is my savior, I shied from its hard traveling” (162).

How many of us could echo Augustine’s dilemma? We have experienced God in our lives and feel the invitation to go deeper, yet, we want to wriggle free. We are attracted to God but our attraction to fame, pleasure, power, or wealth still has a stronger hold. At a baser level, we may believe that the minimalist approach is easier. God’s path is too hard.

Living apart from God is actually more work. It is like one who is caught in a rip tide swimming against the current. Eventually, exhaustion and death is the end result. Instead may we surrender to the current and draw of the Father’s Love, and allow ourselves to be drawn into his net of Grace. At first, anxiety and fear will arise, because the pull, we may feel, appears too strong, but as you experience his love, the anxiety will wane, and you will indeed be free to swim again. Eventually, exhilaration and life will be the end result.

Lord bless us and draw us close to you!

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Mass Readings for today, Thursday, August 3, 2017:

St Augustine. Confessions. Translated by Gary Wills. NY: Penguin Books, 2008.