(Luke 5, 1-11)
“Do not despair. Do not see things through your own successes or failures. Listen to what I have to tell you.”
In today’s gospel reading we hear Christ say to Peter: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Peter replied: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless, at Your word I will let down the net.” All night we have caught nothing. Since, however, you tell me to, straightway I will cast the net again.
Yes, things are just that simple. And yet, within such simple words and actions we prove whether we act correctly or not, whether we take or do not take the correct stance before God, whether we listen or do not listen to him, and whether we respond or do not respond to the things he says. We prove, finally, whether we are saved or not saved.
Unfortunately, man disbelieves certain things simply in order feel justified, or to complain. The Lord is present in every particular instance. As he became man, he founded his Church and exists within us. It remains to each of us, however, for our good intentions to deepen. And for us not to be complacent with our good intentions. Instead, we ought to be ready to hear, to understand and to do that which we ought to. It should not be difficult for us to be aware of and to confess our idleness and failures. This very thing works to make us believe even more in those things that the Lord says.
The Lord always says: “Do not despair, do not see things from the perspective of your own successes or failures. Listen to what I have to tell you.” We must listen willingly, without excuses and objecting to obedience, in the same way the apostle Peter does here: “nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.”
And we immediately see results: They caught a lot of fish, even though they were fishing at the wrong hour. But that is of no importance. What is of importance, however, is what God says. What we see the Lord say here to his disciples, he is also saying more generally to us and for us –in each and every unique circumstance.
Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications.
Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos
