Welcoming the Holy
Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.
By: Sister Joan Cawley
Opening Prayer
Faithful God, You call us in myriad ways to carry out Your mission. Inflame our hearts so that we may not falter.
Scripture
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 the two boats 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 boats to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats 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 shore, they left everything and followed him. Luke 5:1-11
Reflection
This text is a familiar one – the call of the first disciples. It is a call to ordinary people to share in Jesus’ ministry of spreading good news. What differs is the way the call comes. The men have fished all night and caught nothing but then, in daylight when fish would be at the bottom of the lake, Jesus tells them to try and they cannot handle the abundance. Peter is overwhelmed and falls down acknowledging that he is a sinner. Jesus then calls Peter and the others to walk with him.
That call to share in Jesus’ ministry continues to come down to ordinary people, like us. God has called a community of believers, a Church, that is comprised of poor, weak, wounded people. We who form this community are called by the Lord to proclaim by word, deed and example that the kingdom is in our midst and healing and salvation are for all. And we have been chosen, not because of any good image we project, but because God has first loved us, even though we are sinners.
Reflect
When has God asked me “to put out into deep water…”? In attempting to do what may have seemed impossible, was I nervous? Frightened? Hesitant? After I took that step, how did I feel?
Closing Prayer
God, at times I doubt Your presence; open my heart to Your love and forgiveness that I may share that with others.