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” (Lk 5:4-5).

Faith is to trust in God and believe that what he tells us is true. On our own initiative and will power we are limited as finite beings as to what we can do. We can read an example if this in today’s account regarding how Simon had been fishing all night with no results. But when we follow God’s direction and initiative all things are possible. At Jesus’ command, Simon Peter follows and not only completes what he originally set out to do, he did so beyond anything he had imagined. He caught so many fish that the nets were tearing.

God’s initiative and grace enter our life daily as Jesus entered Simon’s boat. Do we have eyes to see and ears to hear and a willingness to listen and follow the initiative of Jesus? Remember the rich man who had followed all the commandments, but when Jesus invited him to sell all and come and follow him, he could not do it. Simon the magician saw the works of Philip, Peter, and John and wanted to buy the power of the Holy Spirit to heal but was rebuked. Turning away from Jesus’ invitation or seeking to manipulate Jesus for our own personal gain will not gain fulfillment.

We need to follow the example of Mary’s faith. She received the invitation of God to bear a child even though she did not understand how this could be since she had not known a man. She trusted, bore Jesus, not just any baby, but the God Man, the incarnate Son of God, Jesus the Christ. We need to follow such examples of Peter, James, and John, who in today’s reading said yes to lowering their nets, even though they did not see the point since they had been fishing all night to no avail, and were amazed at their catch. Then led by Peter’s humility and contrition, they “left everything” and said yes to following Jesus. They went on to announce the Gospel of the Lord and caught people for the Kingdom of heaven.

Are we willing to be caught by the Love of Jesus? Jesus calls us today to do little things with great love. He has a plan for us, as he did for Mary and the Apostles. He will give us the means to accomplish what he calls us to do. In that quiet place in our soul he is inviting us to follow him. We may not think what he is inviting us to do is possible, but trust him. “Do not be afraid!”

Our prayers continue to be with those who are already suffering from the effects of Irma in Puerto Rico and the islands of the Caribbean. As it continues on toward the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Cuba, and turns toward Florida, may its course veer far enough away so as not to cause any significant damage to life and property. In Jesus’ name, “Peace be still!”

Link for today’s Mass reading:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/090717.cfm

Photo credit from:

To Catch Uhu, Be an A‘ama: Traditional Hawaiian Fishing Methods