Fishing is a popular sport in Minnesota. People flock to our many lakes in warmer months to get their quota of fish. And then there is ice-fishing in the winter when area frozen lakes are dotted with people trying their luck. Today’s gospel reminds us that the first disciples were fishermen. But fishing was not their leisure activity but their livelihood. It was how they earned their income. Jesus invites them to follow him and he would make them “fishers” of other people. They would become channels of drawing people into the Kingdom of God.
There was another catching going on. They were caught by Christ. They were drawn in by his simple yet profound invitation to be part of something greater than themselves. We hear this gospel story in the context of our Eucharistic celebration so that we can attend to how Christ is catching us to be part of this wonderful opportunity to be part of the expansiveness of God’s saving life and love.
How are you being caught by Christ? How are you being invited to draw other people into this saving mystery?