Put Out into Deep Water September 7

If anyone among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool, so as to become wise. 1 Corinthians 3:18

“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4

Piety

Let us pray: God, creator of the seas and all the fish in them, help us to know that our human ways are limited and “foolish.” Help us to break away from conventional wisdom and think freely on our own about your word, your commandments, and your mission for us. Help us to leave our “toys” behind so nothing gets in the way of following you. Deliver us from the evil of crass commercialism and grant us peace today. Amen.

Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/090706.shtml

Accepting instruction from Christ and then serving him – the theme established in Capernaum during yesterday’s Gospel – is continued today in the story of the disciples’ seemingly unsuccessful fishing trip.

Anyone who has spent any time in a boat on a fishing expedition knows futility well. In fact, when I was growing up, after a day spent fishing or crabbing, the one stop we made on the way home was…at the fish stand in order to make our “catch” appear worth the money and time spent hugging the shore all day in a little rented dingy. We said, “You should have seen the ones that got away!” so much that we actually believed it for a while.

A little purchase at the fishery would enhance our meager catch with an extra dozen (or two) of blue crabs. We weren’t “fooling” anyone. When we got home, everyone there knew we were padding the results. We were, after all, only doing it for sport, not survival.

But Simon and his colleagues had no fishery to stop in on the way home. A night of futility meant no money, no livelihood. So when the carpenter comes along and tells him to “put out into deeper water and lower your nets for a catch,” can’t you just see the eyes of every man in that boat roll back in his head.

Nonetheless, the acceptance and trust in the Lord is there when we hear, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” These “wise” fishermen think they know better until their nets are filled until breaking.

It is difficult not to compare today’s story from Luke with John 21 and the post-resurrection fishing experience. Again there is futility of human efforts, instruction from the Lord, trust, action and RESULTS!

Action

Jesus is in deeper waters today…lowering His net for a catch. Will you be in His haul? Or will you be in His service on that boat, trusting in His divine instructions and ready to act as He asks you?

Do your material possessions weigh you down like an anchor on that boat? What can you give up that was an obstacle to God’s friendship while making your journey in this world? Can you leave everything behind and follow Jesus? Why not?

Try listening to the Michael Card song, “The Things We Leave Behind” as you meditate on today’s reading.

'Cause when we say no to the things of the world
We open our hearts to the love of the Lord
And it's hard to imagine the freedom we find
From the things we leave behind.