The great catch of fish! Luke’s story tells of a miraculous catch of fish that precedes the call on the disciples to make believers of the people. This account shares common elements from the other Gospels but seems to concentrate more on the response of Simon Peter.
Earlier in Luke’s Gospel, we learn that Jesus has been to Simon Peter’s home in Capernaum. This story tells of Simon’s willingness to listen to Jesus. Simon Peter had been fishing, unsuccessfully, all night and then had been cleaning his nets. He must have been very tired and ready to get some sleep, and yet he was willing to let Jesus use his fishing boat so that he could preach to the crowds on the shore. We are not told what Jesus was teaching
that morning, but we are told about what happens after that.
The focus is on Simon Peter and his response to the requests of Jesus. As an experienced fisherman, Simon Peter must’ve thought that letting the nets down for a catch was a futile exercise. But even after voicing his opinion, he obeys Jesus. Perhaps the healing of his mother-in-law has had such an impact on him that he fully trusts that Jesus knows what he is doing. Maybe he had a niggling feeling that this was what he needed to do. Whatever
reason Simon Peter had for listening to Jesus did not prepare him for what was to happen. He was caught by surprise.
In our own lives, we too, have moments when we feel weary or tired of the routines of our lives. Maybe we too want to give up. Yet, in those moments, we, like Simon Peter, may have been nudged, invited or even instructed by our inner voice – or someone to carry on – give it another try, to persevere.
Perhaps we have experienced a time when we have done something even if we thought it was futile, a complete waste of time. Can you identify one such moment in your life? Can you reflect on the outcome? Were you, like Simon Peter, surprised?
