Colossians 1:9 – 14 / Psalm 97:2 – 6 / Luke 5:1 – 11

In the Gospel, we read that Jesus Christ was by the Lake of Gennesaret with a crowd gathered around him listening to the word of God. The crowds pressed upon him to hear the word of God. Jesus Christ is said to have caught sight of two boats left at the water’s edge by the fishermen. He took refuge in the boat belonging to Simon by telling him to pull out a little from shore. Jesus after preaching from Peter’s boat, asked him to put his nets again for a catch. Although Peter and his companions had worked the whole night, they had not caught any fish.

Peter’s reply to Jesus reflects an ambivalence in the words of Jesus. He was not prepared to challenge Him, but neither would he obey wholeheartedly. The professional fisherman knows that the night is the time to fish, and we have worked all night, yet found nothing. Simon seems to be saying within himself “What does he, coming from Nazareth, know about fishing, at this time of the day, who would dream of catching fish?”

Beloved in Christ, let the Master in, let God in your boats because the Lord’s way of seeing things is always more hopeful than ours. The Master sees beyond what we see. Have you ever faced a situation and said, “There is no way this can ever be?” Maybe some of these thoughts weigh on your mind: “There is no way I can handle the pressure at work.

There is no way I can pay my children’s school fees this month, there is no way to save my marriage. There is no way my children will ever grow up to become responsible adults. There is no way I can go back to school looking at my age”.

 Beloved, those of us who are in these situations, know that there is always a way. It may not be easy, it may not be convenient, it may not come quickly. But if you will simply obey and let the Master in, and put out your nets into the deep sea and lower your nets of doubt, lukewarmness, over – reliance on the self, complaining, blame game, etc.

Remember, beyond all odds, Peter still obeyed Jesus and that really made the difference between failure and success. Obedience to Christ will turn bitter failures into booming victories.

The Lord is constantly at work in all kinds of seemingly unpromising situations, drawing new life out of loss and failure. Yet, for this to happen, the Lord needs us not to give in to discouragement. He needs us to keep putting our nets into the deep water in response to his faithful word. If we wait for a perfect set of circumstances, we will never begin at all.  If we want a miracle, then we must take Jesus by his word when he bids us to attempt the impossible.

The Lord saw life in abundance in the deep sea where Simon and others had only experienced absence. When Simon and his companions responded to the Lord’s word, the night of failure gave way to the day of abundance. The Lord’s word is always directing us to the presence of new life in places we have come to experience as having little to offer. Let us pray for the grace of God to strengthen in us that Spirit of never giving up, complete obedience and the Spirit that will attempt that which seems hopeless.

Mass intentions: Praying for the special intentions of Mr. Anthony that God may pave the way for him as the regards the new challenge he is about to take. We pray that may God bless, guide and protect every step taking by him and his family.

Rosary Prayer: Luminous Mysteries