After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”
As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come a er me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.
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A fisherman’s life demands hard work and strength of character; it requires courage, firmness, and patience. It comes as no surprise, then, that for the work he means to accomplish Jesus should call strong, brave, and highly spirited fishermen of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus calls Simon, Andrew, James, and John to a different kind of mission: from being fishermen to becoming “fishers of men.” Yet the two vocations have many things in common. While leaving their boats and following Jesus, in a sense the fishermen of Galilee are not really giving up the work they have always loved.
Fishermen and fishers of men must work in teams. Fishing with a casting or dragnet requires the concerted efforts of a crew of one boat or even two boats. Jesus’ followers have to learn how to stay and work together; they are sent on mission in pairs (Lk 10:1).
Fishing and preaching the word of God entail patience and perseverance. The ordinary fisherman cannot determine where the fishes are and when they will come near. The preacher cannot afford to give up or despair. They have to believe that success will come in God’s time.
The fisherman must have courage to go out into the sea: The threat of a storm is always there. The preacher must contend with persecution, cynicism, and skepticism: The apostles will die for the faith they proclaim.
The fishermen love their work. They will continue to go out into the sea, even against such odds as money, power, and, o en, government insensitivity.
Simon, Andrew, James, John, and the other apostles will find joy in preaching the Gospel and bringing men and women to the Kingdom of God. Their joy will be full when they will lay down their lives as fishers of men that Jesus has called them to become.
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SOURCE: “366 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632895-7328; E-mail: publishing@ stpauls.ph; Website: http:// www.stpauls.ph.
