A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke 5:1-11
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; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Encountering Christ
Today we hear about that moment when Jesus steps into Peter’s boat. Peter and his companions had been fishing all night and caught nothing. They were tired, frustrated, ready to call it quits. And then Jesus says, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets.” Against his better judgment and possibly wondering “what does a carpenter know about fishing – this is what I do,” Peter listens. And the result? The biggest catch of his life.
The pearl here is simple: when we trust Jesus, especially when things don’t make sense, blessings will come and overflow.
Let me give you a real example. A friend of mine lost his job after many years. He sent out applications everywhere, nothing came back. One morning in prayer, he felt nudged to reach out to an old coworker he hadn’t spoken to in years. He thought it was pointless but did it anyway. That call led him to a new job—better than the one he lost. Like Peter, he cast his nets again at the Lord’s word.
Action of the Day
So, what does this mean for us?
- When life feels empty—like Peter’s nets—don’t give up. Invite Jesus into the situation.
- Be obedient in the small things—sometimes God’s call is simple, even inconvenient, but it opens the way for something bigger.
- Be ready for a new mission—Peter thought he was fishing for food. God was preparing him to fish for souls. God is preparing something new for you.
Jesus is still stepping into our boats—our work, our families, our struggles. He’s asking us to trust Him, to try again, to follow Him. And like Peter, if we say yes, we may just find that God’s plans for us are far greater than what we had in mind. So the next time you feel tired, worn out, or ready to quit, remember Peter. At Christ’s word, cast your nets again.
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