Jesus almost breaks their nets and sinks their boats. We refuse to recognize that great abundance is not objectively good.
For Sunday
The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Collect
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Reading
From Luke 5:1-11
“When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.”
Reflection
Jesus puts Simon Peter in a pretty awkward position. First, he asks Simon to let him use his boat for a lectern and then asks to be taken out into the deeper water. As the frequent recipient of strange requests, I can’t say I’d be as willing as he is to comply. But I think this sets the stage for what will happen next: a crazy fishing expedition of miraculous proportions.
As a person of faith, it strikes me how easily we see the metaphor in this story. The idea of miracles and fishing for people makes intuitive sense to us.
The story itself, however, is quite disturbing.
Jesus tells them to put out their nets. They object, of course, because they have already been fishing during the good time for fishing and caught nothing.
Jesus, however, is persuasive. So they throw the nets in and they fill up so quickly and full that they start to break! So they need a second boat to help. But there are so many fish, that both boats begin to sink!
Peter begs Jesus to make it stop because he isn’t worthy. So after this encounter, it is a wonder that they choose to follow him.
It is easy to see the blessing of the moment and overlook how cursed they felt in the moment.
Which is why, I suspect, we think of the encounter through the eyes of evangelism rather than leadership. We think of full nets as objectively good (and always so) rather than potentially dangerous.
We also mistakenly calculate our worth based on our haul of resources. Whether that be money, fish, talent, education, resume, or family of origin. That we deserve what we have because we merit having it.
All the more striking that Peter not think he is worth it. Despite being picked by Jesus. Handed abundant resources. Offered a job in the Kin-dom.
Jesus makes it clear that worth has nothing to do with it. Blessing is blessing. And that is entirely God’s doing.