"Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." This verse in the gospel of Luke 5 stands out clearly and makes the story not so much about the fish that the disciples miraculously caught but also about "listening, trusting, and obeying."
Most of us would be reluctant to leave everything behind, including our job or family, to follow someone we know or hardly knew. That's what we teach our children, right? However, Luke's narrative is symbolic and full of spiritual meanings. You very often hear this story expressed as "a calling."
So, let's look at the "big picture" of this calling. When you look at the chapters leading up to this one, you'll learn that Jesus has been busy.
He has submitted to baptism by John and led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, where he has been in a battle with Satan. He won! He then embarked on a teaching tour at various synagogues. In the same chapter, Luke reports that he also experienced rejection in his hometown of Nazareth. At one point, they almost threw him down a cliff (Lk 4:29). Yet, the more they rejected him, the stronger he became. He was unstoppable!
He continues his ministry at the Sea of Galilee. He needed people for his ministry to spread and knew where to find the men he could turn to disciples.
When he reached the shores of Galilee, he decided to preach to the people from the boat that belonged to Simon, who was part of the crowd. I would have loved to hear Jesus' sermon, which may have caused Simon's sudden yielding to row his boat back into the deep because initially, he was reluctant. You see - all night long, he and his companions had repeatedly dropped their net in and drawn it out of the sea, looking through the meshes and finding nothing.
But listen to this carefully. Jesus told Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch."
I don't think Simon was impressed with Jesus' credentials in the first place. Jesus was not a fisherman, perhaps a great teacher, but not a fisherman so when Jesus gave him instructions, he said clearly, "man - you know how long and hard we have tried and caught nothing? But just for you, I will let down the nets. I'll do it." [my words] What followed was a fisherman's dream – you know the story.
'Don't be afraid,' (said Jesus), 'from now on, you will be catching people." That statement in Luke throws a flood of light that this miracle is beyond what it appears. Unlike Matthew's version of the calling of the twelve, Luke's narrative is rich with a symbolic purpose. And the purpose here is to be fearless and rely on the Spirit to guide - a clear guide to Christian workers called for discipleship.
Peter was reluctant about the instructions, but once he yielded and let down the net, Jesus performed the miracle. The irony is that Peter and his friends drew a net full of fish, and Jesus caught the men he was after and spent the next three years training them to become new disciples. Because "only a disciple can make a disciple."
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, clarifying the passing on of this discipleship (I'll call it passing the baton). Paul humbly acknowledges that though he is not one of the twelve disciples, he became one by God's mercy and grace and considers himself the least of the apostles – meaning he doesn't deserve to be an apostle. But at the end of the day, Paul worked harder and let down his net in deeper waters. He went to darker places and gathered far more followers of Christ. Nevertheless, he confesses in verse 11, 'Whether it was the twelve or Paul, they both proclaim the same gospel, and through them, others have come to believe' including you and me.
In our Collect, we prayed: 'Give us the Spirit of abundant life.' That statement is compelling. Abundant life in Christ enables us to be bold, evangelize, and bring people to discipleship."
All this calling to discipleship may seem to come out of nowhere, but it does not — Epiphany is the time of preparation for divine reconciliation through Jesus, where we prepare our hearts to respond to our baptismal covenant. Perhaps you are connecting with men and women by what you do to bring them to experience the love of Christ; maybe you are continuing in the apostles' teaching and fellowship and possibly proclaiming by word and example the Good News of God in Christ.
Well, your baptism, studying and being in community with the saints is a huge testimony. Someone may see the Spirit in you and glorify your Father in Heaven. AMEN!