As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. (Matthew 13:47-48)
Fishing nets are designed to scoop up everything in their path as they are drawn through the water. As a result, when a net is hauled into the boat, it contains all sorts of different things: edible fish, inedible fish, crustaceans, sea urchins, as well as debris of all kinds. The net doesn't discriminate between the good and the bad, or the useful and the useless. It collects everything in its path and it's up to the fisherman to decide what to keep and what to discard.
Scripture is filled with stories of Jesus "fishing" for people, both good and bad: the feeding of the five thousand, the woman caught in adultery, the corrupt tax collector Zacchaeus, the upright Pharisee Nicodemus, and so many others. No matter where he went, Jesus was always casting his net to gather people into his kingdom.
When Jesus began his earthly ministry, he called his first followers to be "fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19) and sent them out to cast their own nets to all they encountered. Today, God calls us to the exact same task. Just as indiscriminately as the first Christians did — and just as indiscriminately as Jesus himself did — we are to share the good news of Christ with others.
Try an experiment. Ask the Lord each morning to give you the opportunity to share your faith with at least one person that day. Also ask him for the courage to respond to these opportunities. You may be quite amazed at what happens. Imagine how the world could be changed if every one of us reading this article would reach out to just one person each day with the good news of Jesus Christ. The "catch" could be huge!
You can make a difference. You can give people a chance to hear about the love and mercy of God that is in Jesus, and to give their lives to him. You can even help others to become "fishers of men," spreading the net of Christianity even farther. There are opportunities everywhere: a family member looking for meaning in life, a neighbor who needs a sympathetic ear, a parishioner looking for a friend.
Don't be afraid of witnessing to the love and mercy of God. All you have to do is tell your own story. This may sound daunting, but it isn't. Just share how your faith has made a difference in your life. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words. And don't be concerned with whether the people you encounter are "good" fish or "bad." Jesus only asks that you "catch" them and bring them to him. He will take care of the rest.
"Holy Spirit, fill me with the courage and excitement to share the gospel with others. Make me into a fisher of men for Jesus Christ."
Many thanks to The Word Among Us for allowing us to adapt material from daily meditations in their monthly devotional magazine. Used with permission.
Questions for Reflection/Discussion by Catholic Men
1. Jesus' call to his disciples to be ‘fishers of men" is also his call to each one of us. How important d you consider this call to be for Catholics? How about in your own life?
2. Can you share any examples of times when you responded to this call? What are some ways you can further respond to this call amidst the circumstances of your own life?
3. The article suggests an experiment, "Ask the Lord each morning to give you the opportunity to share your faith with at least one person that day." Are you willing to try this experiment? Why or why not? If you are in a men's group, share the results of this experiment at your next meeting.
4. If you are in a men's group, "practice" sharing your faith by taking turns telling in 3-5 minutes how you came to faith in Jesus Christ and the difference it has made in your life. End your meeting by praying for one another that you would be faithful to the call to be fishers of men, and the opportunities the Lord provides to share your faith with others. Use the prayer at the end of the article as the starting point.
