Peter and his companions had done their best. They had fished all night long and had caught nothing: all of their time and effort had been for nothing. They were tired as they washed their nets. Peter is not the only worker who has “worked hard all night.” Many people can identify with this experience of Peter - something we have worked hard at all day and that still keeps us up at night. We can hear in Peter’s voice the fatigue, frustration and failure. There are times in our lives when we can say what Peter expresses in today’s gospel, “We have caught nothing...” We have struggled to keep a relationship together, only to have it crumble; taught our children the faith, only to have them give it up when they left the house; one might have studied hard for an exam, yet not got the desired result; one might do one’s best to be a good parent, yet a child goes wrong; we come to the end of our hard-working lives to find ourselves limited by physical or financial woes. What does this gospel have to say to all who have worked hard but feel frustrated?

As we read the gospel it is clear that Peter has not had the time or leisure to listen to Jesus preach on some hillside or local synagogue. He has had important things to do - he’s got a family to feed and a business to run. So, since Peter could not go to Jesus, Jesus goes to him. The gospel tells us that the crowd is eager to hear the word of God and Jesus looks about for a pulpit. “He saw two boats at the shore.” The purpose of hearing the word is to be “caught” by it, to have it illumine the mind and inspire the will to such an extent that it changes our thinking and our acting. Teaching from a boat is so symbolic. When fish are caught, they move from the darkness beneath the sea into light. So those who hear Jesus’ teaching will be pulled from darkness into light. Jesus will reach into the interior darkness and release a fullness beyond what they had previously known.

But in order for this to happen, two hearings are necessary. A first encounter acquaints the hearers with the teaching and prepares the way for further exploration. Then a second, deeper encounter brings about a greater, a deeper understanding of what the teaching means. The first encounter is symbolized both by the fishermen “washing their nets” and Simon Peter pulling his “boat out a little way from the shore.” The nets are prepared, but they are not yet used. The boat has pushed off a little, but it has not yet found open water.

In the second, deeper encounter the washed nets will be let down into the sea and haul in a tremendous catch of fish, and Simon Peter will be asked to move away from the shore and put out into deep water. The crowds who stay on shore become acquainted with the teaching, but they remain in the first encounter, they remain basically unmoved. Simon, James, John and the other fishermen who follow Jesus’ instructions enter the second encounter and realize the truth of the teaching of Jesus in a life-changing way.

When Jesus finished speaking the word, it is time for Simon Peter and the others to experience what they have heard. It is one thing for Jesus to teach, it is quite another thing for hearers to grasp it so it becomes their own. Jesus gives symbolically simple directions for the disciples. Simon Peter must go deep inside himself (put out into deep water) and wait to receive (let down your nets for a catch). But Simon Peter and the others have never had success with these directions. They have tried them and experienced only the absence of light (night) and emptiness (caught nothing).

But Simon Peter has called Jesus “master.” A master, by definition, has more knowledge than a disciple. So Simon will do what Jesus says, even though he does not think it will work. And isn’t that typical of every student or disciple. They have to obey the master until through their own experience they discover what the master knows. Simon on the outside is obedient, but on the inside is doubtful.

Following Jesus’ instruction leads to abundance and fullness. If people open themselves to God, God responds. The disciples reluctantly followed the instructions of Jesus. God overwhelms them. The nets are filled to the breaking point and the boats are filled to the sinking point. Since this is not how they usually experience themselves, Simon and the others are amazed and bewildered. Simon’s response reflects the attitude of all who experience the immensity of God. The fullness and the abundance of God’s reality dwarfs him. Simon experiences his own smallness and inadequacy. He is not worthy of what he has experienced. The greatness of the Creator and the smallness of the creature go hand in hand. Simon is terrified.

But Jesus names Simon’s response differently. Jesus instructs Simon Peter not to be afraid. Instead, he is to use what he has experienced to bring others to the same experience. As Jesus has taught him, he is to catch others. The gospel today is certainly not about fishing - it is not about fear. It is about trust. Jesus was saying to Peter, “How far are you prepared to trust me?” It was a turning point in the life of Peter. What started out in failure ended in a new beginning, a new direction. Lent begins 10 days from now. Lent is the time for us to ponder more deeply our lives and the life that God calls us to. There will be a number of opportunities to listen to God through study of God’s word and prayer ths Lent. We who are standing on the shore might want to listen to the call of the Lord to out into the deep - most especially if we are experiencing frustration, or fatigue or even failure. Like Peter we are called to trust - and what a surprise God has in store for those who trust God’s Word!