“AT THY WORD, FROM THE DEEP, A GREAT MULTITUDE”
Saint Luke 5: 1-11
5th Sunday after Trinity: 16 July Anno Domini 2017
Father Jay Watson SSP
In the De Profundis, Psalm 130, The Lord cries out through the mouth of the Psalmist: “Out of the deep have I cried unto Thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.” Hymn #327 paraphrases it for confession and absolution as: “out of the deep I call; To Thee, O Lord, to Thee; before Thy throne of grace I fall; be merciful to me.”
These are the salutary sentiments of a sinful King David, of a sinful Jonah, of a sinful Augsburger, and of a sinful Saint Peter. This is also, the cry of the Savior Himself as He prayed the Psalms from the cross; as He cried to His Father for mercy and deliverance…not from suffering and crucifixion, but for you and all poor sinners.
The wondrous work, worked by The Christ, was not the great draught of fishes. The truly creative act was the gathering together of His people that they might feed on The Word—the rebirthing and refreshing Word of God—which, if a man eat and drink, he has life eternal.
The catch of the Galilean tilapia or sardines merely typifies the catch of Christ’s lost, sick, and hurting children. The pulling into the boats the full and breaking nets is but a Holy harbinger of the future work of Peter, Andrew, James, John, and the other Apostles, wherein they would use the nets of Preaching, teaching, + washing, and Eucharistic feeding to gather Christ’s Church.
The ships indeed point to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. The number “two” bespeaks the Old and New Testaments; the ingathering of both believing Jews and Gentiles; the two-natures of the One God/Man Who has His complete counsel preached and distributed in Law and Gospel.
Thus it was. Thus it is this day. Thus it will always be!
God draws His own to His Son by His Spirit. The Holy Ghost creates faith and gives life in those who hear and believe the Word—The Son. The Church is that flock where Jesus’ preaching still takes place purely and truthfully; and where Jesus’ Sacramental Word is still distributed according to His own institution. This cannot be improved upon or amped up to created greater results, or performed more vigorously working larger benefits, or…larger catches of fishes. The Elect will be gathered by those whom The Great Fisherman sends out.
Note: The Lord Christ taught the people out of the ship. There is no salvation, no teaching and preaching of Christ crucified, that does not come out of His ship—His Church. To separate oneself from The Church and Her precious means of salvation is to cut oneself off from Jesus Himself. No “app” or facetime or Gideon Bible will give you life; only The Living Redeemer at the place He has anchored His Body and Blood.
Note: There is a deep. There are rocks and caves and hidden places where the fish are lost, or hiding, or just oblivious and not caring for anything but their bellies. These fishes are also the lost and dead sheep in time of trial and temptation, or “may it never be” apostasy. Both going after them, and being them is frightening and painful. You have your own dark deep places. Your own efforts; the assistance of your friends, family, medical doctors, and psychologist/counselors, simply cannot redeem you and heal you from the deep blackness of sin, the world, and Satan. Only the light of Christ brought upon you by His Word can disinfect, heal, and feed.
Note: Jesus no longer teaches the people the way He did that day at the Sea of Galilee. But He continues to gather His lambs together, His precious fishes, by men ordained like He ordained Simon and the others. No Apostles no Christ. No bishops and pastors no Christ. And when those whom He has tasked with being “in His stead and by His command” fail to do so, refuse, run away, or go after their own minds, stomachs, and delusions… no Christ.
The word of the servant, the under-shepherd, the fisherman, must always be the word of Saint Peter: “at Thy Word.” The Word works; The Savior Saves.
Christ accomplishes all by His Body given on the wood. The wood of the ship, like the wood of His creche, typified the wood of the cross upon which He joyed to be hanged to atone for your sins. The toil of the sons of Jonah and the sons of Zebedee typified the Law keeping which He joyed to obey for all of your daily trespassing. The Lord went to the deepest deep—hell and the grave—to bring you out of eternal death to Peace and Life forever!
You have fallen at His feet in contrition with Saint Peter as you confessed. Now, join the Saint, all the Saints at the Trinity’s Table…to eat not broiled fish but The Lamb of God.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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