Washing nets.  How many times had Simon Peter and his companions taken their place on the seashore and took care of this tedious task?  Every day, after a long night of fishing, the nets needed to be washed and stowed properly.  It was messy work and you couldn’t do it without getting your hands, your clothes and probably your entire body soiled and stained by the task.  I am fairly certain that when Simon went home his wife would not allow him into the house until he had stripped off his filthy clothes and washed the grime of the sea from his body.  When Simon thought about the future all he could see were nets in need of washing.

    Washing nets.  After so many years it becomes a mindless task that a fisherman can do in his sleep.  It doesn’t take much thought.  It just needs to get done.  Doing such tasks, the mind can start to wonder and ponder other more important things in life.  Perhaps Simon had from time to time pondered how life was a lot like a fishing net.  It always seemed to be dirty and in need of cleaning.  You can’t live life without getting your hands and body dirty, just like you can’t cast a net without it needing to be cleaned all over again.  After so many years, it seemed like he could never get the smell of fish off of his hands.  His wife was right, no one wants to be around a smelly fisherman.  Now as he looked at these nets he saw how empty they were, just like his life and his future – empty and found wanting.

    Shallow waters.  Jesus invites Simon Peter to put out a short distance and anchor in shallow waters.  Easy enough and a safe place to be.  How could Simon refuse such a simple request?  When Simon first met Jesus, it may have seemed to him that Jesus was a shallow water type of guy.  Jesus was never dirty and in need of washing.  Jesus had beautiful words to share and he could tell a good story but his hands never got dirty.  Did he really understand the difficulties of day to day living?  Had he ever been up against the dangers of the deep waters when the winds came up in the dark of the night and the ship began to be tossed about and it seemed almost certain that your life would be lost to the storm?  As he was considering these things it suddenly got quiet and then he heard the voice of Jesus instructing him, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5,5)  Now Jesus wants to fish the deep waters and he wants Peter to join him.  

    Deep waters.  It seemed silly to fish the same waters that had yielded no catch in the long, dark night but fishing the deep waters was what Simon Peter was made for.  The voice of the Master seemed to have a sense of urgency and confidence in it and Simon set out for the deep waters.  This is where the life of a fisherman was tried and tested.  With every cast of the net there was a hope and a prayer for a great catch and the dream of prosperity.  Simon Peter always seemed to be waiting for that one, great catch that would prove his worth.  Then the nets started to fill and cast after cast yielded an unheard of abundance, so much so that others had to come and help him bring in the great haul of fish.  This was the catch that Simon Peter had always dreamed about but now with his boat almost ready to sink Simon did not feel that this proved his worth at all but he instead felt strangely unworthy of such a great blessing.  He quickly cries out to the Lord, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” (Luke 5,8)

    Worthy of greater things.  Simon Peter realized how small his dreams, his goals and his very life seemed to be in the face of God’s abundant grace.  An impossibly abundant catch of fish did not give his life any greater meaning.  His nets were still empty and in need of washing.  We can feel so small in the face of God’s greatness.  Jesus sees beyond Simon’s weakness and he calls him to greater things.

    God accomplishes the same work of grace in the life of Isaiah the prophet when Isaiah feels unworthy to proclaim the Word of God because of his “unclean lips.” (Is 6,4)  The seraphim angel touches the lips of Isaiah with a burning ember from the altar of God and he is immediately cleansed.  God accomplishes the same work of grace in the life of St. Paul when the risen Jesus appears to him and calls him to a new life of apostleship in service to the Church community.  Paul realizes, “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective.” (1Cor 15,9)  God is able to accomplish the same work in all of our lives through our relationship with the risen Lord, Jesus.  Those whom Jesus calls, he prepares with the touch of his grace, to be equipped to carry out the mission entrusted to them.  Certainly the deep grace of God is greater than our shallow weakness.