Cast Our Nets

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 after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they left 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. (Mark 1:14-20)

Aesop wrote: A fisherman cast his net into the sea, and when he drew it up again it contained nothing but a single sprat that begged to be put back in the water. “I’m only a little fish now,” it said, “but I shall grow big one day, and then if you come and catch me again I shall be of some use to you.”  But the fisherman replied, “Oh, no, I shall keep you now that I’ve got you.  If I put you back, should I ever see you again? Not likely!

Fish are elusive, and when caught, we tend to throw them into our bags to take home, even the little and undersized, illegal fish.  Such is temptation.  Many of us Catholics, especially parents of young children, are like Aesop’s fisherman, and we are tempted. We insist they become practicing Catholics even when they don’t understand our faith and we do such a poor job modelling how a Catholic should act.  Some prominent priests also have served as terribly poor models, and our children – young and old – recognize that hypocrisy and sin.

Unlike the fisherman who replied, “Oh, no, I shall keep you now that I’ve got you.  If I put you back, should I ever see you again? Not likely!” we must show patience, understanding, and resolve.  We will see them again, in time, provided we “repent, and believe in the Gospel.”  This means that for those we evangelize and for our children, the nets we cast to catch them must be mended and made of compassion and love.  That is the only way we will catch them, keep them, and have them follow Jesus.  A forced march will be unsuccessful.

Deacon David Pierce