by Fr Christopher Maseko
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Are we at all amazed by the faith and obedience showed by Peter towards Jesus when he was ordered to deep his net for a catch. Maybe yes, or not. Peter and companions were experts/professionals in fishing and no one could ever tell them where and when to fish, mind you, they had toiled the whole day and they knew very well that any possibility of catching any fish was next to zero. Due to his humility and perhaps about the previous miracles he had witnessed being performed by the Lord prompted him to obey and lower himself. Though he had a hazy picture about Jesus but because of his faith he felt compelled to abide by the instruction which subsequently elevated him to a higher position.
In the long run, humility becomes a condizione sine qua non in obtaining faith in the one Lord Jesus Christ. If you was to be happy in life, you must learn to live a life of faith. Probably you will ask; what is faith? Faith means to rust God and to entrust your life entirely to Him. If you have faith in a particular doctor, when you are ill, you trust him alone and you entrust yourself to his care. It is not enough to believe in God intellectually, but you must learn to entrust your life to Him, just like Peter did when he was ordered to deep the net where had been fishing. Eventually he was called and given the task of being the fisher of men. To be sent by our Lord to do his will which entails; being a messenger of hope and love into the world. The world her means the area in which we live, our place of work, the people we meet every day.
An active concern for the world and for other people is an essential mark of a good Christian. We are all responsible for some small corner of the Lord’s vineyard wherein it is up to us to reap the harvest. We tend to think of faith as something to which we cling for our own sake only’ like a lifebelt instead of seeing it as a call to the service of others. Of course, our Lord realised in Peter that the harvest is there, everywhere – in our institutions, in our hospitals, homes and places of education and work. It exists among all kinds of people the good and the bad, the ill and well, the old and the young, the handicapped, the alcoholics, drug addicts. How many are in need of love? Every day is a harvest day and in every place there is a harvest to be reaped for Christ. This is entirely possible if we pay attention and listen to his voice as he says; “put out into the deep and let sown your nets for catch” Let us all say with humility and faith just like Peter; “Master, at your word I will let down the nets” In assurance the Lord will say to each one, “do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men” Amen.