This weekend’s readings places us on the Sea of Galilee, or also known as Lake of Gennesaret, which is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, it is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second-lowest lake overall (after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake). The lake is fed partly by underground springs although its main source is the Jordan River which flows through it from north to south. All Old and New Testament writers use the term “sea” (Hebrew יָם yam, Greek Θαλασσα), with the exception of Luke who calls it “Lake of Gennesaret.”

Scholars tell us that Jesus used the home of Peter, in Capernaum, as His home base of operations for His ministry, which enabled Jesus to crisscross the area effectively to spread His ministry. In today’s reading, Jesus tells His followers to “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Their haul of fish was so large that others in another boat came to help them and the total catch caused both boats to nearly sink. They were all “amazed” at the catch and so Simon Peter falls to his knees and makes his confession of faith: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Here we have an epiphany, perhaps, as we can hear in these words of Simon Peter the same invitation we all are given by God in the very beginning of our Mass, at the Penitential Rite, when we respond to the Invitation of God: “Lord you were sent to heal the contrite of heart: Lord have mercy; You came to call sinners: Christ have mercy; You plead for us at the right hand of the Father: Lord have mercy…Christ invites sinners—you and I—to become His light and love and compassion in this world. God has decided in His Divine Plan of Love that we, the sinners of creation, are called by God to also be His partners in His plan for human salvation. We are called to be ambassadors of God’s love and mercy and to transform the world—make it softer, gentler and kinder—by being His hands and feet, His heart and love in the midst of people starving as we are called to feed them; in the midst of the homeless, as we are called to be concerned with their housing needs; in the midst of their physical needs, we are called to provide healthcare and so on. Just like Christ Himself as He walked the face of the earth along the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Galilee, we are called to roll up our sleeves and get involved in lives…and to make them better, to add light to the darkness and shine Christ into the world.

The words of Jesus to Simon Peter and likewise James, John and others are relevant to us today: put out into the deep and become fishers of people. We, too, are called to bring people into the net of our Christian Catholic faith, to lead them to the Truths of Christ and bring them to the Holy Spirit, so that they also we be filled with God’s gifts and empowered by His Spirit to transform the earth with His Love and Mercy, leading still more the saving truths. Today we ask ourselves this question: What other signs of God are out there that can be highlighted to illustrate God’s merciful love and forgiving grace? Are there more people I can bring into the net? More signs of His Forgiveness? More examples of His Love? Will we be those signs to others? Look around our parish for ways to get involved, to join the team.