Benedictine Sisters of FL

Holy Name Monastery
Founded 1889

fishermen

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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What Luke shares with us in this Gospel is a good example of how Jesus models the saying: actions speak louder than words.

If you will picture this with me –  Put yourself in the scene.

It’s midmorning.  Jesus is meditatively strolling at the water’s edge.   I suspect He may have been virtually unaware that people were beginning to trail him.  The crowd is swelling.  This causes Jesus to edge closer to the advancing waves of the changing tide.  The eagerness of the crowd is palpable in the air – just to hear a word from Jesus.   He turns to face the crowd, putting his back to the water.  The scene causes him to draw a breath and take a step backward.  Now the waters are lapping above his ankles.  He spies a couple fishing boats; one belonging to his friend Simon.  He presumes permission to step in.   And what does He do?   Remember last week’s lesson?  HE SITS TO TEACH.   As the crowd is settling down, He looks around at the empty boats and thinks “What a pity!  The fish are right there.  But they didn’t take a nibble.  Let’s fix that.”

Now, these boatmen have spent all night fishing without success.  They are tired, discouraged, disheartened.  And so far their morning has been spent prudently cleaning their nets lest the debris they did manage to trawl would rot and get too smelly to attract any fish tomorrow.

We don’t know what Jesus taught from the boat that morning; Luke did not have any first-hand experience to share. What we do know is what Luke heard from those who were there.  He tells us that Jesus surprised Simon and his buddies telling them to “put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”  Can’t you just hear Simon draw a vexed breath?  He’s professional fisherman; learned the trade from his father and grandfather. “Come on, Jesus.  We’ve worked all night but have caught nothing.”  You know the feeling.  How often have you said (or at least thought) we’ve tried that before?  But Peter pauses.  Maybe makes eye contact with Jesus.  Mmmm.  “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

That’s the operative sentiment.  “If you say so, I will let down the nets.”   The boats was suddenly, miraculously full of fish so that they begin to sink.  And this after a long night of frustration – not a single fish to show for their efforts.  Amazement struck them.  Peter, (and maybe the others, we don’t know,) fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “Get away from me – I am a sinful man!”

Ah, sweet Jesus!  We know what Jesus said.  He’s said it to us more than once.  “Do not be afraid.”  As he counsels Peter He uses a word that in Greek means: “to catch alive.”  He’s caught Peter alive with yearning.  Ripe for his new vocation, a new mission that He’s about to offer. “From now on you will be catching people.”  We turn now to the words from Isaiah in the First Reading: “God touched my mouth [in Peter’s case in today’s Gospel – “touched your nets, your labor.”  God, the Lord, continues: “See, now that this has touched you, your wickedness is removed.”  Then God asks – invites, challenges – “Whom shall I send?  Who will go?”

With Peter – and so many, many others who’ve followed through the years, we answer: “Here I am, send me!”  We add the words of Psalm 138: “When I called, you answered.  You built up strength with in me.  Your right hand saved me.  You will complete what You have done for me.  Your kindness endures forever.”

“When the fisherman brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.”  Your life, the life of each of us, tells the rest of the story.  But it leaves us with a question.  “How can we catch people?  What waters do we have to wade out into?  What are the nets we can lower?”  One thing we know for certain.  We know we want to keep Jesus on our side of the boat.  Seems to me this is pretty much the question Pope Francis and our Bishop Parkes is dangling as a challenge to us.  What bait will we put on the hook?  Or what kind of net will we lower?  How will we live out our Benedictine charism of prayer, hospitality and stability in community?

An answer lies in today’s Gospel: live it – be it – do it … that’s the bait.  Now, invite others to “lower their nets” and let’s break bread together.”

 ~Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

 

Happy Feast Day to us – and Benedictines world-wide! 

On February 10th we celebrate the feast of St. Scholastica, twin sister to St. Benedict.

 

First Reading:   Isaiah 6:1-2, 3-8         Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 11
Gospel:   Luke 5:1-11
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How Can We Catch People

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What Luke shares with us in this Gospel is a good example of how Jesus models the saying: actions speak louder than words.

So if you will, picture this with me, if you will – put yourself in the scene.

It’s midmorning.  Jesus is meditatively strolling at the water’s edge.  I suspect He may have been virtually unaware that people were beginning to trail him.  The crowd is swelling.  This causes Jesus to edge closer to the advancing waves of the changing tide.  The eagerness of the crowd is palpable in the air – just to hear a word from Jesus.  He turns to face the crowd, putting his back to the water.  The scene causes him to draw a breath and take a step backward.  Now the waters are lapping above his ankles.  He spies a couple fishing boats; one belonging to his friend Simon.  He presumes permission to step in.  And what does He do?  Remember last week’s lesson?  HE SITS TO TEACH.  As the crowd is settling down, He looks around at the empty boats and thinks “What a pity!  The fish are right there.  But they didn’t take a nibble.  Let’s fix that.”

Now, these boatmen have spent all night fishing without success.  They are tired, discouraged, disheartened.  And so far their morning has been spent prudently cleaning their nets lest the debris they did manage to trawl would not rot and get too smelly to attract any fish tomorrow.

We don’t know what Jesus taught from the boat that morning; Luke did not have any first-hand experience to share.  What we do know is what Luke heard from those who were there.  He tells us that Jesus surprised Simon and his buddies telling them to “put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”  Can’t you just hear Simon draw a vexed breath?  He’s professional fisherman; learned the trade from his father and grandfather.  “Come on, Jesus.  We’ve worked all night but have caught nothing.”  You know the feeling.  How often have you said (or at least thought) we’ve tried that before?  But Peter pauses.  Maybe makes eye contact with Jesus.  Mmmm.  “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

That’s the operative sentiment.  “If you say so, I will let down the nets.”  The boats were suddenly miraculously full of fish so that they began to sink.  And this after a long night of frustration – not a single fish to show for their efforts.  Amazement struck them.  Peter, (and maybe the others, we don’t know) fell to his knees and begged Jesus, “Get away from me – I am a sinful man!”

Ah, sweet Jesus!  We know what Jesus said.  He’s said it to us more than once.  “Do not be afraid.”  As he counsels Peter, He uses a word that in Greek means, “to catch alive.”  He’s caught Peter alive with yearning.  Ripe for his new vocation, a new mission that He’s about to offer.  “From now on you will be catching people.”  We turn now to the words from Isaiah in the First Reading: “God touched my mouth (in Peter’s case in today’s Gospel – “touched your nets, your labor”).  God, the Lord, continues, “See, now that this has touched you, your wickedness is removed.”  Then God asks – invites, challenges – “Whom shall I send?  Who will go?”

With Peter – and so many, many others who’ve followed through the years, we answer, “Here I am, send me!”  We add the words of Psalm 138, “When I called, you answered.  You built up strength with in me.  Your right hand saved me.  You will complete what You have done for me.  Your kindness endures forever.”

“When the fisherman brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed Jesus.”  Your life, the life of each of us, tells the rest of the story.  But it leaves us with a question.  “How can we catch people?  What waters do we have to wade out into?  What are the nets we can lower?”  One thing we know for certain.  We know we want to keep Jesus on our side of the boat.  Seems to me this is pretty much the question Pope Francis and our Bishop Parkes is dangling as a challenge to us.  What bait will we put on the hook?  Or what kind of net will we lower?  How will we live out our Benedictine charism of prayer, hospitality and stability in community?

An answer lies in today’s Gospel: live it – be it – do it … that’s the bait.  Now, invite others to “lower their nets” and let’s break bread together.”

~ Reflection by Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, Prioress

 

First Reading:  Isaiah 6:1-2:3-8     Second Reading:  1Cor 15:3-8, 11
Gospel:  Luke 5:1-11

 

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Third Sunday of Easter

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FishingwithJesusAt the end of a long day, swapping stories about Jesus and his miracles, Peter’s friends may have asked him, “When do you think we will see Jesus again?”  Peter could have replied, “I have no idea.  In fact, I’m getting a bit frustrated with his absence.  It had been easy to follow Jesus around during his earthly ministry, but now they never know where he’s going to appear.”

Peter, the leader, decides to make a move. “I’m tired of sitting around waiting for him.  I’m out of here. I’m going fishing.” It is what he knows best. The others go along with him.   I think he’s simply saying: I gotta get out of here – I need some space to unwind – figure this out!  Like a lot of people, Peter is grateful that the others joined him.  It’s comforting to have friends who are on the same page. And, this is where Jesus finds them.  Strange isn’t it since Jesus had told them to go into Galilee and wait there for Him?

These disciples had been fishermen most of their lives before Jesus called them.  Some say they suffered a moment of doubt – a scary moment of spiritual darkness. I prefer to think of it merely as a night stress reliever, not unlike the desire that many people have to go fishing today.  Like us sometimes, they just wanted to get away for a while – an excuse to leave the stress of the everyday by returning to nature.

They know their trade well, they know these waters like the back of their hands – just where to get the best fish.  But this is a frustrating night – nothing, nil, zip, nada!  After each toss of the net, they come up empty.

Well, it’s dawn by now.  They were ready to draw up the nets and call it a night, when they spied someone at the shore line – there by a charcoal fire.  They don’t recognize the fellow.  This time, unlike the night of the storm on the lake, Jesus does not tell them “It is I.”  What he says is, “Try the other side – lower the nets on the other side of the boat.”   Baffled but trusting that the stranger might know what he’s talking about, or maybe just to humor him, they switch the nets.  And AMAZINGLY they pull in a huge haul!  If you know anyone who goes fishing, you know they have to tell you about their catch.  It appears it is such an ingrained trait even the evangelist reports it – 153 fish!  The number may be symbolic or it may just be to emphasize it was a BIG catch.

Suddenly the light bulb goes off: this is a familiar voice – John cries out, “It is the Lord!”  Always the impetuous one, Peter grabs his garments and drives in the swim to shore.  He throws clothes ON to jump in the water – isn’t that a bit backwards?  But Jews regarded a greeting as a religious act that could be done only when one was clothed.”

The disciples reach the shore; they find that Jesus had a fire prepared with fish already cooking.  Jesus had all the things they needed after being out all night on the water.  They found food, warmth and companionship.  They found a Savior who loved them and who had all the provisions in place that they needed.  Everything they lacked on that boat, they found when they came to Jesus!

The last thing we hear Jesus did is to give Peter this command, “Follow Me!”  It wasn’t the first time Peter’d heard this.  The last call is the same as the first.  It’s a re-commissioning.  We see that Jesus hasn’t changed His mind about Peter, even though Peter had denied him or any knowledge of him.  Peter’s call had not changed.

What can we learn from this folksy story which is found only in John’s Gospel?  What lesson is Jesus teaching us?

First, I believe we have to acknowledge that our first call is our forever all.  And, I don’t mean a vocational call.  Long before our call to a state in life or a ministry in the church or a career, God called to each of us: You are Mine!  We may back step, misstep, wander off the path. But God still calls Follow me.  Remember the hymn: What a Friend we have in Jesus. – He is our forever friend.

Another thing we see in this story … we have to be willing to wait through the dark night, the darkness, the emptiness in our boat when nothing seems to be happening.  When fishing and everything else seems in vain….  Seekers go elsewhere, we have poor attendance at programs, plans fizzle, volunteers don’t show up.  Be patient!  As it says in the Benedictus we pray each morning: “In your tender compassion, O God, the morning sun will rise, giving list to those who wait.”

This is when we have to flexible – cast the nets of the “other side of the boat.”  Look at the trends, where the fish are biting – listen to others’ suggestions and try new ideas – that’s where the 153 fish are ready to take a nibble.

Remember the part in the story about Peter being lightly clad.  (Some translations say “naked”.)  We have to be willing to be unclad before God – to stand naked before the Lord: put down our defenses, let up the shades and face the shadow-self so that when Jesus appears we can be clothed with the garments of innocence and integrity to greet the Lord.

When the night is over, and the dawn approaches, our ministries will be expanded, our nets will be ready and in good shape to catch the “fish” God sends to us for hospitality and membership.  We’ll bring our gifts of bread and wine, made from gifts that God gave first us: grain and grapes, the fruit of the earth. God has no need of anything further. Yet God accepts the offering we bring  – “the work of human hands”—and transforms them into the gift of his very presence.

As the dawn comes, Jesus meets us on the shore with everything we need.  And it’s customized, personalized just for me, just for our faith community.   Jesus is not only standing on the shore, he is waiting.  The question for us is: how long must he wait?

~Reflection by Prioress, S. Roberta Bailey, OSB

 

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