While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; rom now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
REFLECTION
"Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch."
Have you ever prayed for a long time and became tired, disappointed, and ready to give up?
We are reminded of St. Monica’s perseverance, Mary’s obedience, Venerable Matt Talbot’s endurance and St Rita's tears. Their lives remind us to keep trusting God even when we cannot see what He is doing.
In today’s Gospel, Peter had fished all night and caught nothing. He had even washed his nets. He was finished for the day!
Then Jesus entered that ordinary moment of failure and said, “Put out into deep water.” Peter answered, “We have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”
That little word “but” says so much:
I have tried, Lord—but I will trust You. I have prayed, Lord—but I will pray again. I am tired, Lord—but at Your word, I will get up and try again.
This is the spirituality of events—recognizing that God comes to us through the ordinary events of our lives: our successes and failures, illnesses and recoveries, disappointments, interruptions, and unexpected encounters.
When we look at the “empty nets” in our own lives, we may say, “Lord, I have prayed. I have tried. Why haven't You answered?”
Perhaps, instead, we can ask: “Lord, where are You in this? What are You teaching me? Where are You asking me to trust You?”
Peter trusted Jesus enough to lower the nets one more time.
Try again.
Pray again.
Forgive again.
Serve again.
Pray again for your loved one to have the desire to change
and to accept the grace needed to respond to God.
No event in our lives needs to be wasted. Today, Jesus may be standing beside one of our empty nets saying: “Trust Me. Lower the net one more time.”
With profound gratitude for so many answered prayers and miracles, I invite you to trust in the one who loves you the most.
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