Casting about

When Jesus told Simon and the sons of Zebedee to put their nets in the water, they replied that they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing. Their comment seems to ask a question, such as, we haven't caught anything although we've worked very hard, why should we even try again? I can imagine that there may have been what some would call a pregnant silence after Simon said this. According to the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said nothing more. Perhaps he greeted Simon with a look that told him it was OK, a look of compassion, a look that said, "Trust me". Because, Simon answered, "We will do it if you say so". They did, and the nets were so full that they nearly sunk two boats.

There is more to the story, but I like to stop right there. How many times have I tried and tried to accomplish something in my life and work, doing the same thing over and over again, getting the same negative result? I reach the point of asking the empty room, "Why should I even try?" The answer is in Simon's words "I will if you say so." Jesus doesn't look for an argument, he simply asks that his words be accepted on faith. And he asks me to accept them on faith because he is doing his Father's work, a Father who comes to us in love. I tend to forget that. I forget the role of Faith in being able to make sense out of this world and understanding the nature of my own simple humanity. That's why I need to keep trying. Maybe I will do something different, like, try casting the net off the other side of the boat. Maybe my net will fill with a catch so big that I can't even haul it in. With faith, it could happen. But it will never happen if I don't believe or if I don't try.