February 4, 2007
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

Into Deep Water

Jesus said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

Have you ever been in the place where all your wisdom tells you just give up; the last thing you want to hear when you are in this position are the words "try harder".

Peter and Andrew, James and John knew the lake, the kind of weather you had to have to bring in a good catch. Their families had been working the lake for generations. They knew the time to fish, where to fish, and they had gone fishing at the right time and at the right place and come up empty. "Try over there", Jesus says. "Over there in the deep water let your nets down for a catch." Why does Simon agree to row out into the deeper water? Perhaps he did so because he was learning to trust Jesus, perhaps he did it to humor him, or perhaps it was because of something in Jesus' tone of voice. Whatever the reason, Peter agrees to do what Jesus asks of him.

We are challenged every day to go into the deep, to risk, to venture. This Gospel reading calls us to trust Jesus; that even though we feel that we have tried and given our best, there is still one more fhing to try; to listen to Jesus call to us to go into the deep and have the catch of our lives.

Silito

Take a look at some of the previous messages from the Rector