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), bishop of Hippo, came to a point in his life when he realized that the flame of his desire for wealth, fame, and pleasure was dimming. He felt moved toward “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” (Augustine 2008, 161).

How many of us could echo Augustine’s dilemma? We have experienced God in our lives and feel the invitation to go deeper, and yet, we still seek to wriggle free. We are attracted to God while at the same time there are other things that have a stronger pull. We may also buy into the thought that God’s path is too hard. It is. Anything that has been worthwhile in our lives, haven’t we found that we have needed to be disciplined to obtain or even maintain it? Also, when we allow ourselves to be yoked to Christ, our load is lighter.

Mixed metaphors aside, it is harder and takes more effort to work against God’s will, just read the Book of Jonah! May we instead surrender to the current of the Father’s Love and allow ourselves to be caught in the net of his Grace. At first, anxiety and fear may arise, because the pull may appear too strong, his love too pure. Yet, when we align our discipline and effort with his will, the anxiety will wane, we will begin to feel safe, and we will indeed be free to swim again. This time with more exhilaration and joy than we had ever experienced before.

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Photo: Following Mary’s lead, Rosary walk through Vero Beach.

Link for the Mass readings for Thursday, August 1, 2024

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