1st Sunday of Lent (March 9). THEY LEFT EVERYTHING

Prepare to Listen.  My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.
 
Prayerfully Read Luke 5:1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret,[1] and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.  3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.  Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.  4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’  5Simon answered, ‘Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing.  Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.’  6When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break.  7So 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.  8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’  9For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.  Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’  11When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
 
Prayerfully Wonder and Reflect
What about this story leaves you speechless and amazed?
 
When Jesus stepped into Simon’s boat and asked to be “put out a little way from the shore,” Simon did it without protest.  But, when Jesus said, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch,” he protested.  He’d worked all night and caught nothing.  He was tired and frustrated.
 
Many of us feel this way about Christianity and the church.  Despite all we do for Jesus, we’re coming up empty.  For whatever reason, people are leaving the church in droves, and we can’t stem the tide.  We’re tired and frustrated.  At the point of emptiness Jesus intervened and sent Peter back to try again.  We can’t blame him for protesting.  But something made him submit, “Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”  What changed his mind?  Jesus expression and authoritative tone?  Sheer desperation after coming up empty once again?
 
The catch was so great even seasoned fishermen were amazed.  Peter “fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’”  He saw Jesus for who he was, a man of power; he saw himself for who he was, a sinner.  Only then, and only then, did Jesus issue his call: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”  Face to face with Jesus, Peter and his partners, James and John courageously risked all and trusted him.  They committed themselves to the new task of catching people, despite not knowing what it meant or would entail.
 
What do you think they saw in Jesus that compelled them to leave everything and follow him?  How willing are you to do this?
 
Prayerfully Respond
Lord Jesus, give me a vision of who you are—Lord of all—and a deeper sense of who I am—a sinner—that I may fall at your feet in awe and willing obedience.  Amen.
 
Live obediently.  Hear Jesus’ words about catching people as given to you.
[1] Lake Gennesaret is an older name for the Sea of Galilee.