“THE DRUAGHT OF GRACE”
Saint Luke 5. 1-11
The Fifth Sunday after Trinity: 16 July Anno Domini 2006
Fr Watson
It wasn’t about power. Nor is it ever about greatness, numbers, feelings of success, or being ablaze. After all modern agricultural techniques can feed countless more than a mere draught of mackerel. And it isn’t about being able to locate and find stealthily underwater creatures by way of a miracle. Sonar, fish-finders from Cabela’s modern fishing fleet trolling nets do are every bit as effective in bringing in the catch.
This event recorded for you by Saint Luke is all about you; you the sinner just like Simon Peter. It is all about the Christ; the Lord and Master, yes, but also Christ the “Word” of God.
This “sign” and “wonder” performed by Jesus of Galilee on the Sea of Galilee is not only about Who He is, but What He does, for you, and how He does it. This story is the reality of how His Church is formed, How it exists, and the very earthly and physical means which He has chosen to bring it all about.
You are a sinner. You think it’s about your work. No, you are not a blatant “works-righteous” Pelagian, but you are a semi-synergist in your “Old Adam.” Translated into English this means that you think God takes into account that you do your best, and that your best, your trying, your intentions, count for something. They don’t! Your best, and your finest most pure motivations, intentions and actions; your most earnest and determined efforts, are filthy rags.
You see, this isn’t really about you doing any original, smart, clever, obedient, work at all. This isn’t about you being a master fisherman. It is wrong and sinful to read this story in such a way as to make Jesus into only the wise Godly “enabler.” It is wrong and sinful when you view Jesus as the “Captain” who gives the orders, the methods, the “plan” to put into action, and then you as the crew do the work. It’s you the sinner that wants Jesus to be the ever-ready “provider” of the goods, the spiritual stuff or ammo, the knowledge of where the fish really are, so that you, you can be about your work; you as an integral key ingredient, helper, assister, worker, doing your “bit” to get her done; to land the catch. No.
You must first be condemned as was Peter; condemned by the realization that “I am a sinful man O Lord.” Every part of you, that is you, is unworthy, fit only to fall at His feet wishing He would depart. But He won’t, because you’re the fish that He’s after. You’re the catch He came to net. Christ offered Himself up as the lowly, despised worm, stuck on the cross, threaded by hands and feet like a pulpy “night crawler” on a rusty hook. When that scaly “devil fish” bit down on Jesus you were released, alive, unhurt, eternal. He “chummed” the boiling waters with His own blood, His body the bait, for you.
The answer is found in nothing but the “Word” of God. The Word of Scripture yes, but only in-so-far as the Bible actually brings to you and delivers the Word made Flesh, The Incarnate Jesus. Jesus and only Jesus gathers the flock, or in this “Lucan” metaphor, gathers the school of fish. The multitude pressed about Him even before any miracle. The Word He spoke, and the Word He was, drew them. It is the same today. Simon Peter did nothing but let the Word have its way. He is the “Way.” Jesus preached and there was a crowd. If the Church preaches Jesus Christ and Him crucified, then Jesus is preaching, is Here, and we will have the crowd that He wants us to have; period! Jesus told those first pastors what to do, so that His word would produce what it was going to produce, and it happened. The sons of Jonah and the sons of Zebedee didn’t get creative, they didn’t get the latest “fishing manual” from the Fisherman’s Synodical Office in Capernaum, they did nothing save provide Jesus extra arms and hands to take care of that which He called into the boat. The boat is the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.
In His Church today, in His “ship of salvation,” Jesus the Good Fisherman baptizes, absolves, and feeds. Men are caught. Fish are pulled into the cool pure pond of His very veins. Carp are made into Lambs by eating the Lamb Himself.
This dear Saints, is the greatest “fishing story” of all time. This is the great draught of Grace!
In the Name of The Father and of The Son + and of The Holy Ghost