February 6th
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
Today’s gospel reading reminded me very much of the reading from Ecclesiastes.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
The reading goes on for another half dozen verses listing just about every possible thing you can do.
A time to listen to the homily and a time to snore.
A time to talk with the Master, a time to listen to Him. A time to go to the pub and a time to refrain from going to the pub and so on it goes…
In today’s gospel reading you see that it is divided so that one phase transitions neatly into the next.
When the story opens Jesus sees two empty boats at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
So the time for actively fishing has ceased and the time for washing nets has started.
The crowds are eager for a few wise words from Jesus. So the time for listening has begun. The crowds are so big that the logistics demand that Jesus get into a boat in order to properly address the mob. So you see what’s happened here. The Master can see that having a quiet fireside chat on the sea shore just isn’t going to work. He’s spotted the empty boats and sees a solution. He’s a quick thinker or maybe he had this all worked out over breakfast.
Notice please that Jesus chooses his boat very carefully and purpose-fully. He wants to teach in Simon’s boat.
We’re not told what Jesus’ sermon was, but it must have been a rip snorter because no-one starting snoring or got out their rotten vegetables.
This ‘homily teaching’ phase ends and we transition / begin something new. This next phase is a bit scary. To put out into deep water. Deep water in the gospel is more than just 60 fathoms. In the gospels deep water is also the place of death and new life. It is the place of uncertainty and danger. It is the place of challenge and adventure.
‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’
Simon has misgivings.
‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing’.
It’s almost like…
“Yeah well we tried that…and it didn’t work” but Luke has Simon as compliant. “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Did you spot the shift? Simon is not the boss of the fishing anymore. Jesus is. Simon has relinquished his control and the corporate decisions are now made by Jesus.
And when that shift, that transition happens, when Simon allows it to happen, the results surpass all expectations and are beyond belief.
“When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink”.
There was a time of dearth when no fish were caught, the night time which again is symbolic. It’s now daylight and it’s the time to catch lots of fish.
The next phase or station could be called ‘A time to confess and a time to follow’.
Simon has a secret. He is incredibly guilty about something.
And we know this because when he sees the huge haul of fish he drops to his knees saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’.
It must have been something he felt really terrible about.
Jesus response is not
“Well yes Simon, that’s true. You are an absolute stinker. A complete rotter.”
Rather Jesus response is
‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’
So Simon has a new career. There was a time to be a fisherman and now there is a time to be a fisher of people.
When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. The key word here is everything. You can’t cherry pick the nice bits of discipleship.
Odd, isn’t it… That Simon’s CV has he perceives it is a terrible document with a big black mark on it. An ominous splotch. But from Jesus’ point of view this is exactly the sort of person he wants to apply. Someone who has the integrity and honesty to own up and say ‘I sure botched that up’.
So the new recruits leave behind the old way of life and begin a new way of life. This most significant of changes can only happen when they, like us, accept the invitation to leave behind our misplaced guilt and follow ‘Him’. Otherwise we are left in the nighttime catching nothing and washing redundant nets.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
A time to listen - a time to speak
A time to catch nothing - a time to catch lots of fish.
A time to confess - a time to follow.