Word to the Wise
Thursday, September 1, 2022 - Thursday in the 22th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Cor 3:18-23 and Luke 5:1-11]"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch....Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. [Luke]
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It was not unusual for a "rabbi" to gather a few disciples to teach in Jesus' day. But Jesus' method was far more dramatic in the case of Peter, James and John, all of whom became his closest disciples. They would feature in other dramatic events like the transfiguration and the garden of Gethsemane. The tradition of the big catch of fish would also reappear in the last chapter of the Gospel According to John! Pope St. John Paul II would entitle an encyclical on evangelization with the Latin words, Duc in altum, "put out into the deep!" The reaction of the three fishermen was one of fear. Jesus' response is, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." Then we are told they left everything and followed him! That is dramatic, as well!
Although this particular story is often used in efforts to attract men and women to religious life and/or priesthood, it was not originally written for that purpose!!! The call to discipleship is a call to faith. The "call" is really more an "encounter" with Jesus that can be life-changing. This encounter contains an attraction that will seem greater than anything we might have acquired or wanted to do. But, it could result in marriage or single life as easily as religious life and/or priesthood. Since the latter seems more dramatic in our American culture, the other callings can seem less important, but they can be fully a response of discipleship.
In my own case, it was something that would not leave me alone; so I had to follow it in order to have peace of mind. Well...I'm still following it as a Dominican friar. What has been your encounter with Jesus? Are you afraid of what it might mean? AMEN