Calling of the Apostles

Calling of the Apostles
Image by: Edward Armitage 1

The Education of Peter

by Dcn. Wayland Moncrief

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time - Cycle C

It was early morning by the Sea of Galilee. The sounds of the boats coming ashore drifted through the cool mist. There was the usual clanging of bells, and voices shouting across the water. The fishermen pulled to shore, disembarked, and stretched out their nets. This was a working harbor. Most of the residents were fishermen. Peter had been out all night without a catch. His face was drawn and weary. Another toilsome effort, another long infertile night. Peter returned to shore with no fish, and no reward for his labors.

However, this day was different. Jesus was there and a large crowd followed Him. The crowd was intent on hearing His teaching. They had heard of His miracles. They pushed to be nearer, and strained to hear every word. Peter had no doubt heard of Jesus from his neighbors and his brother, Andrew, who was a disciple of John the Baptist. Some scholars also suggest that Peter was present at the wedding in Cana, since weddings at the time were a week-long community celebration.

There is much to be learned from Peter's interaction with Jesus, much that we can apply to our own lives, and to our Christian ministry. Contrary to some interpretations, Peter's decision to follow Christ was not as instantaneous as it may seem. There is little doubt that Peter was a devout Jew. Real and lasting instantaneous conversions are extremely rare. More often they stem from a inner dissatisfaction and a gradual exposure to a viable and more profound alternative. Furthermore, calls to a specific ministry require significant and prolonged discernment. Peter followed Christ for three years before realizing he was chosen to be the first Pope of the infant Christian Church.

When Jesus arrived at the Sea of Galilee He saw Peter and Andrew fishing but waited until they came ashore, disembarked, and had begun to wash and mend their nets. Ministers of all kinds seldom have all the resources they need. Jesus did not have a mega-church, or on this day a synagogue, a pulpit, or even a place to rest His Head. So, He asked to use Peter's boat and taught the people from slightly offshore. This prefigured Peter's later role and his boat served as the first Christian Church.

After proclaiming the good news, Jesus said to Peter, Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”1 Peter had been a successful fisherman his entire life. No one knew the lake better than he did. Yet, Jesus wanted him to gather his crew and try again. They were all exhausted. Early in the morning was the best time for fishing. And the best place for fishing was near the shoreline where there was more food for the fish. And yet, this carpenter from Nazareth wanted him to put out at mid-morning into the deep waters?

Needless to say, Peter was highly skeptical of any success. He replied, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”2 It is a great credit to Peter, that he saw something more in Jesus' request, and had the courage to to comply.

Even the most devout and dedicated of ministers can become discouraged. Several times Sacred Scripture mentions Jesus' disappointment with the disciples lack of faith. No doubt, He was even more discouraged by the sinfulness and stubbornness of His priests, the Scribes and Pharisees. In similar circumstances we are tempted to abandon our mission. The success we envisioned has not become a reality. At such times, it is difficult to see that our labor will bear fruit. It is difficult to see the invisible work of God in our midst.

Such is the case of many prophets who tried to convince God that they were incapable of what was being asked: that they were the wrong choice. Look at the life of Jeremiah who suffered greatly and repeated begged God to choose someone else. And. can you imagine Peter's discouragement, dejection, and sense of failure, having denied Christ in His hour of greatest need.

But, as ministers of the gospel, and we are all ministers of the gospel - priests, prophets, and kings - we must fight discouragement like we fight a fire. Despair is the weapon of Satan. Even though we may have toiled long and hard and, seemingly, caught nothing, we must refresh ourselves in grace, muster the courage to try again, and once more put out into the deep and lower our nets.

Some callings, some ministries, are much more toilsome, and / or more dangerous than others. Some people have a particular genius in a certain area and achieve abundance with ease. But, we must not forget, nor diminish, the labor of those who have toiled all night and caught nothing. Those, who have served faithfully and endured hardships are well prepared and fit to be great soldiers for Christ.

The race is not always to the swift and strong. For all of us who serve, Our Good Lord will renew our strength with a fresh abundance of grace. Grace comes through our love, through our faithfulness to Our Lord's commands, in the realization of our dependence on His Goodness, and our confidence and trust in His Mission.

Jesus calls us to use our wisdom and ingenuity to fulfill our duties, but to always remember that the work is His. As Saint Theresa of Calcutta said, “I was not called to be successful. I was called to be faithful.”3 The Lord works as He will. Ours is to do what we can and leave the results to God. What cheerfulness, and great joy, awaits us, as we go about our duties, and have the privilege of seeing God mysteriously working in our midst!

As soon as they reached the deep waters the men lowered the nets. Suddenly the boat was filled, overflowing with fish - so many fish that the boat was in danger of sinking, and the nets started to tear. They called to the other boats for help. Everyone was working together, excited, tugging at the nets, rejoicing in what God had freely given. Where we often fail of our own resources, through Christ, we will bear abundant fruit. Too often we give up when success, when a miraculous catch, is at hand.

The fishermen had never seen such a catch, nor any thing like it. Through the miraculous catch, Christ demonstrated His Dominion over the seas, as well as the dry land, over its wealth and over its waves. He would show the fishermen He was that Son of God, and that all things are at His command, confirming the doctrine He had preached from Peter’s boat.

The people on shore, who heard the Christ's Words, sensed that He was a prophet sent by God, and they carefully observed what He would do next. The miraculous catch was a confirmation of their faith. Later, of these apostles, Jesus would say, “O ye of little faith.”4 From the strongest among us, to the weakest and most frail, we all need confirmations of our faith. For this reason, Jesus established the Apostles, and His Church, as a community of faith.

Peter was touched by the Master's Words and astonished by the miraculous catch. He fell to his knees in adoration and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”5 Jews were forbidden to keep the company of sinners. Peter was trying to protect Jesus. He recognized in Jesus a greater holiness and bid Him to depart. Peter knew he was unworthy of the Divine Presence of Christ, such that it was a matter of terror rather than one of comfort. And His acknowledgment was just. Even the best of us are sinful and unworthy, and in humility we should be ready to acknowledge it, especially to Jesus who came into the world to save sinners.

Peter's words foreshadowed the words of the centurion, who would later confess his unworthiness. This is also our confession, the confession of the Eucharistic Prayer, “Lord I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”6 But Jesus didn't depart. Rather He brought forgiveness, courage, and strengthened Peter in his faith.

Peter's mission, and ours, was now clearly defined as Jesus said, “You will see greater things than this.”7 “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.”8 You will catch the hearts of all mankind by enclosing them in the Gospel Net, thus manifesting a greater instance of the Redeemer’s Power. And later, Jesus words are fulfilled. Through Peter’s preaching at Pentecost, three thousand souls were added to the Church in another miraculous and abundant catch.

It is easy to picture these images: Jesus sitting in the boat slightly off-shore, the future apostles working feverishly pulling at their nets, and Peter's boat in the morning mist, a humble beginning of the Early Christian Church. Peter's boat, like Noah's arc, was the tabernacle of the divine, and the ark of the redeemed. Jesus established Peter as Head of the Church and entrusted His flock to him. He gave Peter the authority and responsibility to care for their souls. Jesus is the Master of His Church, and Peter is its captain.

Each of those called, and that includes us, has likely voiced an objection. We may have declared ourselves unfit. Each of us has felt unworthy. Isaiah said, “I am a man of unclean lips.”9 Paul declared, “I am...not fit to be called an apostle.”10 , and Peter said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 11 Yet in each case the Lord worked through their fear and inadequacy. He calls the least among us, and empowers us, to show that the work is His.

Jesus calls us to set out into the deep waters. He assures us that the catch is abundant and asks us to set the sails, to till the oars, and lower our nets. He calls us to respond with courage and throw aside that pessimism that makes cowards of us all. He asks us to respond in faith, to trust in His strength, and work together, eager and excited, rejoicing in what God has freely given.

And Jesus asks, then and now, “Who can I send? Who has the courage to go forth? Who will venture into the deep waters? Who will lower their nets for a catch? And as He asked Peter, “Do you love Me?”12 Now he asks us, “Do you believe me?' Do you have faith? Do you trust Me? Who among us will say, 'Yes Lord. Here I am. Send me!”

Baruch Hashem!

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