Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time - Even Year
Reading of the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke 5, 1-11
Gospel
At that time, the crowd pressed around Jesus to hear the word of God. While he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, he saw two boats on the shore; the fishermen, who had come ashore, were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a little from the shore. From the boat, seated, he taught the people. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon: 'Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.' Simon answered and said: 'Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing; but at your word I will let down the nets.' And when they had done this, they caught such a great number of fish that their nets were beginning to tear. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they almost sank. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees, saying: 'Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.' For astonishment had seized him and all those with him, because of the catch of fish they had taken; and likewise James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon: 'Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.' Then they brought the boats to shore and, leaving everything, they followed him.
Source: Vatican NewsFor prayer today
Today's Gospel presents us with Peter, a tired fisherman who has worked all night without catching anything. When Jesus asks him to cast the nets, Peter protests: 'we have been working hard all night and have caught nothing.' But he adds: 'but at your word I will let down the nets.' That is the key: to trust in Jesus' word beyond logic and experience. And then the unexpected happens: the nets fill up until they almost break. Peter feels like a sinner before the greatness of Jesus, but Jesus tells him: 'Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.' This story speaks to us, who sometimes become discouraged with our efforts. Jesus invites us to put out into the deep, to risk trusting in Him, to let go of our securities. When we do so, we discover that God can do much more than we imagine. And his call transforms us: we are not alone, we are his disciples, called to bring his love to others.
Put it into practice
When something does not go well today, say to the Lord: 'at your word I will let down the nets.'