Catching People
Stories
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit
Series V, Cycle C
Object:
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." (vv. 4-10)
In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado tells about an experience he had while he was in high school. Every year, he and his family used to go fishing during spring break. But one year, his brother and his mom couldn't go, so his dad let him invite a friend.
They looked forward to this vacation with great eagerness. They pictured the sun shining down on them as they sat in the boat in the middle of the lake. They imagined the jerk of the rod and the spin of the reel as they wrestled bass into the boat. They could almost smell the fish frying in a skillet over an open fire. They could hardly wait. Finally spring break arrived; they loaded the camper and set out for the lake.
They arrived at night, set up the camper, and went to bed anxious to get up the next morning and go fishing. But that night, a northeastern blew through. The wind was so strong they could barely open the door of the camper the next morning. The sky was gray. The lake was choppy. There was no way they could fish in that weather.
They were disappointed, but thought, "No problem." They would spend the day in the camper. They had brought Monopoly and Reader's Digest. They knew a few jokes. It wasn't what they came to do, but they would make the best of it and fish the next day.
So they passed the day indoors. The hours passed slowly but they did pass. Night finally came and they crawled into their sleeping bags dreaming of fishing.
The next morning it wasn't the wind that made the door hard to open, it was the ice! They tried to be cheerful. They thought a second time, "No problem. We can play Monopoly ... again. We can reread the stories in Reader's Digest. And surely we know another joke or two." But they weren't nearly as cheerful about it all.
And as the day went on, they began to get more and more irritable and anxious. It was a long day and a long night. The next morning, when they awoke to the sound of sleet hitting the roof, they didn't even pretend to be cheerful. They were undeniably grumpy. They were miserable as their fishing gear sat unpacked.
The next day was even colder and they finally headed home.
But Lucado says that he learned an important lesson that week. Not about fishing, but about people. He writes, "When those who are called to fish don't fish, they fight. When energy intended to be used outside is used inside, the result is explosive. Instead of casting nets, we cast stones ... Instead of being fishers of the lost, we become critics of the saved."
In today's scripture, Jesus calls Simon Peter and makes it clear in the process what the fisherman is called to do -- fish for people. He is a fisherman and he will continue to fish. Jesus knew that Simon Peter needed fish; it was a part of who he was. The difference was that Jesus gave him a new target. Simon Peter would be catching people and bringing them to the Master Fisherman.
It is the calling of all ordinary disciples. We, too, are called to fish for people. And if we don't use our energy to that purpose, we do get irritable. When we fish as Christ has called us, we are too busy bringing in the haul to do anything else.
(Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm [Dallas, Texas: Word, 1991], pp. 55-57)
In his book, In the Eye of the Storm, Max Lucado tells about an experience he had while he was in high school. Every year, he and his family used to go fishing during spring break. But one year, his brother and his mom couldn't go, so his dad let him invite a friend.
They looked forward to this vacation with great eagerness. They pictured the sun shining down on them as they sat in the boat in the middle of the lake. They imagined the jerk of the rod and the spin of the reel as they wrestled bass into the boat. They could almost smell the fish frying in a skillet over an open fire. They could hardly wait. Finally spring break arrived; they loaded the camper and set out for the lake.
They arrived at night, set up the camper, and went to bed anxious to get up the next morning and go fishing. But that night, a northeastern blew through. The wind was so strong they could barely open the door of the camper the next morning. The sky was gray. The lake was choppy. There was no way they could fish in that weather.
They were disappointed, but thought, "No problem." They would spend the day in the camper. They had brought Monopoly and Reader's Digest. They knew a few jokes. It wasn't what they came to do, but they would make the best of it and fish the next day.
So they passed the day indoors. The hours passed slowly but they did pass. Night finally came and they crawled into their sleeping bags dreaming of fishing.
The next morning it wasn't the wind that made the door hard to open, it was the ice! They tried to be cheerful. They thought a second time, "No problem. We can play Monopoly ... again. We can reread the stories in Reader's Digest. And surely we know another joke or two." But they weren't nearly as cheerful about it all.
And as the day went on, they began to get more and more irritable and anxious. It was a long day and a long night. The next morning, when they awoke to the sound of sleet hitting the roof, they didn't even pretend to be cheerful. They were undeniably grumpy. They were miserable as their fishing gear sat unpacked.
The next day was even colder and they finally headed home.
But Lucado says that he learned an important lesson that week. Not about fishing, but about people. He writes, "When those who are called to fish don't fish, they fight. When energy intended to be used outside is used inside, the result is explosive. Instead of casting nets, we cast stones ... Instead of being fishers of the lost, we become critics of the saved."
In today's scripture, Jesus calls Simon Peter and makes it clear in the process what the fisherman is called to do -- fish for people. He is a fisherman and he will continue to fish. Jesus knew that Simon Peter needed fish; it was a part of who he was. The difference was that Jesus gave him a new target. Simon Peter would be catching people and bringing them to the Master Fisherman.
It is the calling of all ordinary disciples. We, too, are called to fish for people. And if we don't use our energy to that purpose, we do get irritable. When we fish as Christ has called us, we are too busy bringing in the haul to do anything else.
(Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm [Dallas, Texas: Word, 1991], pp. 55-57)
