Out Into Deep Water

9/1/2016

STep #1: Lectio / Read

Today's Reading is the Gospel:

Step #2: Meditatio / Meditate

"The style of the good God is not to produce a spectacle: God acts in humility, in silence, in the little things." -Pope Francis

The call of Jesus to follow Him, the act of following Him, the daily life of following, and everything else that comes with following Jesus can sometimes seem to us to be daunting. We complicate things: I need to pray like this. I need to do this many good deeds for another person. I need to learn about the theology of this and the definition of that and the teaching on this. I need to do this, that, the other thing, and I need to do them well, and once I've done them I'll have the Gospel mastered.

Today, Jesus turns that whole thing on its head. Jesus is teaching by the water, and He gets onto Simon's boat. Simon (who we know as Peter) lets Jesus onto the boat, and then when Jesus says to lower his nets he does. Simon, the professional fisherman, is told by a carpenter and a rabbi that He ought to lower His nets, and so He does. He even starts the whole thing by questioning Jesus, but then He follows anyway.

Through this simple act of submission, this following in the smallest moment, Simon begins an incredible adventure. Immediately, we read, He left everything. Simon would be the one who most boldly acknowledges Jesus as the Son of God, then the one to deny Him three times, and then the one to become the first Pope. This great adventure, this great journey Peter takes with the Lord, begins with a simply moment: He lets out His nets.

In my journey today, do I listen when Jesus gives me a simple request? When He asks me to pause and pray with a friend, do I do that? When He gives me the chance to witness to His love in a quick way, am I willing to put myself out there?

Later in Peter's life, we see Him ready to defend Jesus with the sword in the Garden of Gethsemane, but then hear Him deny Jesus moments later. Peter was willing to make a big act, but wasn't quite ready then to put out His net into the deep water, open to whatever catch Jesus wanted to bring Him.

Today, we can examine our own lives in light of this call. Where is the deep water Jesus is asking us to trust Him enough to put our nets into, and are we doing what He asks? If we're not, how can we be more bold in our discipleship?

As Pope Francis said in that quote above, God often acts in silence, in the little things, those brief moments where we're asked to put down our nets; are we letting Him work in our lives in precisely that way?

Step #3: Oratio / Pray

“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

Am I living the call to put down my nets? Where have I been successful in reaching out into the deep water?

Where in my life have I been given the chance to lower my nets but I have been afraid?

What subtle, quiet ways is God calling me to follow Him?

Step #4: Contemplatio / Contemplate

Put down your nets.

God acts in humility.

I will go where you lead me, Lord.

For the REst Of Your Day...

Pay close attention to your conversations, and see where God is moving your heart to let down your nets for a catch. Be bold in letting Him work through you in small ways.

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Today's prayer was created by Jason Theobald.

CARPE VERBUM