This encounter with Jesus that Peter and his companions had must have been quite shocking. They were professional fishermen. They knew all the tricks about fishing: how to fish, where to fish, and when to fish. Yet all their human experience, knowledge, labor and joint effort produced nothing after an all-night shift working.
So, in the morning or early afternoon, this itinerant preacher climbs up on Peter’s boat and starts preaching to a crowd of folks. Then he turns to Peter and tells him to launch out onto the lake to try fishing again. Peter knows this is not the correct time of day to fish and he knows there are no schools of fish about because he just worked all night to no avail. He points this out to Jesus, and we can almost hear the cynicism or doubt in his voice as Peter replies: OK. We’ll do it just because you say so. Peter, James, and John know full well that nothing will come of this effort.
Despite being in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and the lack of fish according to their human experience and knowledge, with Jesus in their midst, the fishermen make a large catch. What should have been impossible, happened. Peter and his companions were astonished. They recognized the presence of God in their lives that day. They immediately begin to follow Jesus.
All this was possible because Peter, James, and John listened to the Word of God in their lives; first by putting out onto the lake to fish again and later by becoming his disciples. Their response was immediate, even though initially they had doubts or did not understand. They had that attentiveness to the Word and that openness to respond quickly.
Today we can all ask ourselves if we really listen attentively to the Word of God and respond enthusiastically.
When they brought their boats to the shore,
they left everything and followed him.
Image: https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer/luke-51-11