It really amazes me how often the scripture readings for Mass seem to exactly fit what I need to hear on any given day. Yesterday was extremely busy with back-to-back appointments and activities all day, from 4:00 AM through 8:00 PM. I was dead tired when I went to bed, hoping for a full night of sleep, but that did not happen. Several calls from overseas came in overnight, interrupting that rest. Eventually, I got up, brewed some coffee, then reviewed today’s readings in preparation for writing this Daily Reflection. The situation described in the Gospel is exactly what my situation is this morning—up all night working, tired, and needing to do another day’s work today.
I love St. John the Evangelist. I love the deep love that he had for Jesus and the theological underpinnings of his writings. But the apostle who teaches me most about myself is Simon Peter. In no way am I pretending to aspire to his greatness, only I find it easy to identify with the “ups and downs” that he experienced in his faith.
In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 5:1-11) we find him, the average down-to-earth laborer, with all the humility and generosity of a good man. He is exhausted after a failed night of fishing. Jesus asks him a favor: “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Peter recognizes the genuineness and importance of the teacher and although they had been fishing all night without any success, Peter obliged. Astonished by the size of his miraculous catch, Peter falls to his knees and asks Jesus: “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”
Then at Caesarea Philippi, he not only received the attention of Jesus but also status among the other apostles. He witnessed: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” This brought him all kinds of confidence. So much so that the night before Jesus dies, he could boast, “Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be shaken.” Such unwarranted boasting brought about a rebuke from Jesus. It also led to his triple denial at being identified as a follower of Christ when questioned by simple maidservants.
Within days, Peter would be brought back with humility and dependence at the seaside picnic. The Risen Savior would question his genuine love by asking him three times: “Simon Peter, do you love me?” Now the humbled apostle, with self-knowledge, could tell the Lord honestly and sincerely, “Lord, you know everything. You know well that I love you.” It was Peter’s way of saying: “Lord since you are God, and I know and believe that you are God, then you know all things. You know that I love you. Don’t look at my track record and please don’t ask me to prove it; but since you are God, you have to know that I love you.”
I’ve always believed that Christ allows me to fail and be humiliated many times over during my lifetime, just to help me gain self-knowledge. Don’t you think that is the Lord’s way of helping each of us to become the genuine person he expects us to be? How else would he be able to make us fit instruments, so that like Peter, we could become his fishers of men?
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!