Good News from the Sea of Galilee

Luke 5:10 – “Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

So are we, Workers of Jesus Christ, Christ himself calls us to be his ardent followers, so he first called his disciples...Jesus chose the Sea of Galilee, which is also known as Lake of Gennesaret, to call his first disciples... Simon is among those first he chose, and he called as ‘Rock’ and the foundation of the Holy Catholic Church...

Let us meditate on how he became an ardent follower, What was the lesson, Lord the God taught Simon as he called Him?

Let us go through the following verses St. Luke 5: 1-3.

“So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, ² and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. ³ Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

Jesus, son of God, saw the multitudes, which were hungry, and the crowd constantly urged for the Word...Yes these souls where in need of bread...bread for their soul...And Jesus found two fishermen, what were they doing?

 They were washing their nets...after a long night’s sweat and toil...for their daily bread, bread to sustain their lives.

Lord without seeking permission got into one of the boats, and asked him to put out the boat, a little from the land...Yes, he didn’t wait for his consent, and after he got into the boat, he g sat down gently, and taught the multitude.

So, what is it? Is he not bothered whether; Simon is willing to follow him. Jesus calls each of us the same way...He does not care for the situation of life you are in, ne’er bother to ask your consent, but simply ‘Calls.’

Jesus, is a little farther from the land here, and the crowd still sat in the land...Simon, the poor fisherman did not understand the logic of land and a little farther situation from the land. But Christ, the Lord was teaching him the First Lesson of how an ardent follower should be?”

The land or shore is fine, beautiful and calm. But as it says in Proverbs 1:3, To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity;” - you should put your boat of life, a little away from land, and listen to him, as he teaches you. This is the stage of meditation that a person will go through in the initial stages of his fellowship with Christ, the Jesus, for the Saviour calls you for a further ‘Citizenship.’ A Citizenship which no other country or no rulers can offer...

What is the speciality of this Citizenship that our Saviour offers?

The following verse, Luke 5:4 says, “When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

He stops speaking. He gives the second instruction to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

If the first instruction was to put out a little from the land, the second is to launch out and let down the nets into the depths of the ocean for a catch. If the first instruction was just to listen to Christ and be with him, the second is to participate in his mission, the mission to gain souls for him.

So, when Christ gave this instruction Simon was a bit perplexed, and replies, as in the following verse, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.”

Here comes the first action from Simon being ready to participate with the Saviour, for he obeyed and said “Nevertheless at your word I will let down the net.”

What was the result of this response? ⁶ And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking.  It says about the number of fishes. It also says that the net was breaking. Did the number of fishes affect the net here? Yes, Was the net not prepared enough to accept the quantity?

What can be the reasons?

The net can be old.

The net was not big enough to accept the quantity.

The net was just supported by two people, Simon and his companion.

‘Net’ here, is the symbol of a Charismatic Christian, who is not renewed with ‘Holy Spirit.’ ‘Net’ here, is the symbol of the spiritual immaturity of ‘Workers’ who thrive for the kingdom of God.
Moreover, ‘Net’ symbolizes the less preparedness of Worker(s) to direct the ‘Souls in Need’ towards the ‘Kingdom of God.

Here, on the role of ‘Citizenship’ with the Saviour, an ardent worker should learn and practice all the lessons, that Jesus taught Simon.

The next verse says “So they signalled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them.” So, Simon calls his fellow workers to help him...Was it a realization for Simon to follow the path of the Saviour, The Jesus, to call others also to participate in the mission of expansion of Kingdom of God. Yes, by obeying Jesus, and being with Jesus ‘Simon’ gains maturity.

What happened when he asked for help?

And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. Yes, the boats began to sink, so it is a message to Simon again to call more people to participate in the mission. In addition, it is a message to Simon to prepare in future while he goes and preach the Kingdom of God. So, this is a message for all of us whom Jesus has called for a Citizenship.

Be prepared to help any kind of soul, who is need.

Be prepared, as the souls in need are numerous, your boats should not sink,

Be prepared, and filled with ‘Holy Spirit’ as you could not direct these souls towards the kingdom of God, because you are a sinner. And the next verse says it all. Luke 5:8 - ^“ When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

So, what all Lord the Saviour taught Simon, during the “Fishing experience in the Sea of Galilee?”

1.  To listen to him, by putting the boat a little away from land.

2.  To participate in the mission of gaining souls by letting the nets down for a good catch.

3.  To call more people to the kingdom of God, by asking help as the ‘Souls in Need, the Souls in Darkness’ are numerous.

4.  To be prepared and filled with Holy Spirit every time, to direct the souls to the Kingdom of God by being away from sin.

And as he calls you and me, for this citizenship, Lord gives the same message to all of us, and that is the ‘Good News from the Sea of Galilee.’

The Saviour then gives a sweet message to Simon and his friends. A message of assurance, for not to be afraid, as it says in Luke 5:9,  For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.”

So, what are we waiting for?

As Simon and his friends did, as it says in Luke 5:11, so when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. Just Forsake and Follow Jesus.

Let us recite a small prayer,

Oh Jesus the Saviour, give me the Wisdom, fill me with Holy Spirit, so that I may follow you.

To be in the Valley as a Worker...Thought for Day of Vocations and Workers' Day

“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” “– Matthew 9: 37

 

“Harvest is plentiful …” says the Lord…

What is Harvest here?

Harvest is nothing but the souls that need divine intervention…The souls that need to brought to the kingdom of God.

As the previous verse, Matthew, 9:36 says, “the harassed and helpless souls.” – Yes, the souls those are badly in need of mercy, the souls in purgatory, and souls in earth that are slaves to the dirtiest sins.

Souls that lack Holy Spirit, these souls, as it says in Acts of the Apostles 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…’’needs Holy Spirit.

Souls that need grace… as it says in 2 Corinthians 12:9, But, he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

 Souls that need more and more grace from Lord…as it says in James 4:6, “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

These are the souls, who are in search of the Valley, the Valley of Love, and Valley of kindness, Valley of endless grace.

So, the Harvest is plenty…

The previous Sunday 29^Th April 2012, is being identified by the Holy Catholic Church as the Day for Vocations for this year. In addition today is Workers’ Day, and the whole world observe it as Work ers’ Day.

How you and me as ardent followers of Jesus Christ, can respond to the plentiful harvest in the field?

The field should be given workers.

What is the role of a Worker, in Jesus Christ?

Before that what is the ideal character, a worker should have?

It is true that the field, “The Kingdom of God” has lots of workers in it.

It also says in Matthew Verses 9:36, “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.”

The Holy Catholic Church has a lot of workers, Workers as shepherds, Workers as Nuns, Workers in the form of Missionary families, Workers as Missionaries, Workers who intercede for others, and Workers who help the church financially....

But do we all have compassion for the souls… these souls are seeds in the field, There are plants that are in the growing phase, Some are in the fertile soil, Some even though the soil is fertile, is surrounded by thorns… Some plants are just in the desert…No soil, No manure, and not even a single drop of water for survival…

A compassionate worker is a comforter and an energizer.

A compassionate worker should be in continuous conversation with God.

A compassionate worker should pray for more and more gifts from Holy Spirit,

A compassionate worker should persistently thrive to be in a state of anointment.

So that a Worker should do the following, for the Kingdom of God, where the harvest is plenty…

Comfort and energize the harassed and helpless souls…Pray and Intercede for the souls in purgatory, Intercede for all the sinful souls in earth…for the lord to shower their mercy on them… Anoint the souls with Holy Spirit…Enrich the souls with grace, and more graces from the Holy Spirit.

So, What should be the prayer of a Worker, Worker of the Kingdom of God…?

1 Peter 2:2 says as follows, ”Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation” – To serve the purpose of your life, a Real Worker of the Kingdom of God, should humble himself as a newborn child, and pray persistently for the pure, spiritual milk. Once you are led with the Holy Spirit, you can share the spirit that you received to your fellow beings, who are harassed and helpless, who are in need of mercy, who lack spirit, who need grace, and more graces from Lord.

Ephesians 4: 4-6 says as follows, “’There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” – Here, Paul the Apostle says that there is only one body, and one Spirit, so the hope is in the same Lord, and in his Holy Spirit...you believe in the same Lord, yet all of us are baptized in the name of same Lord... The real call or vocation of a Worker is to gather the herd of sheep to this one body, one Spirit, and one Hope.

Mark 3: 14 – 15, says as follows,  And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils.” – So, Jesus chose twelve and named them Apostles, and the real call for apostles, was to heal sicknesses, to cast out devils, and to send them forth to preach…and How they succeed in their respective calls?
“By being with Him.” - Apostles responded to Jesus’s call and identified Jesus as Saviour and followed Him, so that Jesus called them for being with Him.”
John 3:4 says as follows, “Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?” – To be persistent in the vocation you are called for, you should be ready for a second birth... John 3: 5, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

So, finally what a Worker should do? To be compassionate, he should pray more, ask for more gifts from Holy Spirit, Yes, by being with Him and by being born of water and spirit, each moment, he can gather the herd of sheep, to One body, the Body of Christ.

A worker should therefore Work more, 1 Corinthians 15: 10 says as follows “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”