HUMILITY IN FISHING FOR SOULS - 04/22/22 (Easter Friday)

John 21:3-6

3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered Him, "No." 6 He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish.

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Blessed Easter Friday! When Jesus started His ministry and chose Peter and the other disciples, He performed a miracle. By His order, St. Peter and other people miraculously caught numerous fishes even when it seemed so impossible that time. Catching fishes became a symbol for catching men by preaching the gospel. After the resurrection, Jesus reminded them of their mission ahead by having a similar situation where Peter and others were unable to catch a fish until they followed Christ. We are all called to share the message and truth of Christ to people. But, we need to persevere in the virtue of humility in order to do what God orders us to do. There are at least two things about humility that we should remember before we preach the gospel to others. 

First, it is important that we are aware of the vain things we do that act as obstacles for following Christ. The disciples could have done anything just to seek pleasure and enjoyment, but they chose to be diligent in fishing because of their needs. Jesus was present with them because they rejected the unnecessary things in their lives. We have the need to remain in union with God through sacraments and prayers. We should also grow in our faith by reflecting on God's Word and by studying the teachings of the Catholic Church. What are the things that distract us from doing the will of God? Perhaps, this is the time to ask the Lord of the things that we do not really need in life and beg for His graces to be detached from them. This can be done by lessening our use of social media, our gadgets, TV or other things to spend more time with Jesus.

Second, we should always depend on God and listen to His voice. We are His children. As His children, we should be obedient to His will as to how we can evangelize and lead more souls to His love. The disciples were unable to catch any fish at night on their own. This shows us that without the graces from God, our faith and works will not bear fruit. It was only when the disciples obeyed the order of Christ to throw the net on the right side of the boat that they were able to catch numerous fishes. It's important to take note about the specific instruction of our Lord because if they casted the net on the left side, not on the right side, they would still catch nothing. In the same way, it's necessary for us to discern the will of God on how He wants us to share His message. Does He want us to serve in the Church, use social media to share posts about the Catholic faith, invite family or friends to go to Mass or tell them things about the Catholic Church? There are many ways to serve Jesus, but what's most important is to listen to His inspiration in our prayer.

True joy is found in union with God as we hope to be raised from the dead by our Lord Jesus. The event of Christ's resurrection invites us to share this joy and happiness to many people. Let's ponder on our duty to evangelize and to make God loved by many people. What are the vain things we prioritize instead of deepening our faith and sharing it to other people? And, do we speak to Christ and seek His guidance for us to make Him more known by others? Let's humble ourselves and acknowledge that without the mercy and grace of God, we are nothing. By doing this, He will aid us in fulfilling the mission He entrusts to us. 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic