Into the deep

Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C

Today’s Gospel, serves as a reminder of God’s abundant and limitless love and mercy. Some Sundays ago, we listened to the miracle at Cana. Jesus changed the water into wine. It was not ordinary wine, it was the best that the could be provided. Today, we will listen to a similar happening. After having passed the whole night fishing, Peter and his friends had caught nothing. In the morning, Jesus joined them, and asked them to lower their nets again. They caught so many fish, that they could not haul them to the boat by themselves! This abundance of fish, is first and foremost a symbol of God’s love for us and it also reflects the amount of help, God is ready to give us once we trust in him.

Today, we will listen to Jesus’s call of his first apostles, when he asks them to follow him. In the same way, Jesus calls us too to be his followers.

Jesus met Peter and his friends in their own environment: their work place. It seems that Peter and the rest, had already met or heard about Jesus. This can be understood from the fact that “a crowd was pressing in on Jesus.” This is how Jesus meets us. Jesus meets us in our families, at our workplace, in our daily routines. Yet, this is not all. Peter was a master fisherman, he knew his trade well. Jesus was not a fisherman. However he asks Peter to go out into the deep and lower the nets. This was not a good time to fish! Fishing was done during the night. However, Peter, although with misgivings, humbly does as he is asked. Peter took a risk and was well rewarded. Jesus does not always ask of us, that which is obvious and comfortable. Many a time we need to trust in him, since what he asks, may not be so clear. Being Jesus’ disciples, requires sacrifice. Peter and his friends had spent a night without catching anything. Now that they had such a big catch, they left everything on the shore, to follow Jesus! It is not easy to follow Jesus, and this is well said in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, “we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” (1 Cor 1, 23)

Even the amount of fish caught is a teaching moment. Firstly, it shows our need of others. Peter could not haul all the fish; he needed help. We too, we are not expected to journey on our own. The Church offers help, through the sacraments, the parish community, formation meetings, spiritual direction and other resources and opportunities. It is our decision if we accept this help or not. As parents, today’s Gospel, speaks to us of our responsibility in the formation of our children. Our children do not grow in faith on their own. They learn from the adults around them, especially from those most near. We are to remember, the promise, we made at their baptism. We promised to bring them up in the Christian faith.

We also know that a catch of fish includes everything. There are small fish and bigger ones too, there are fish which are good for eating, and others which are not. Jesus does not choose. Jesus wants to befriend everyone, no matter our age or state … the net has been lowered. Will we allow ourselves to be caught? This message that Jesus wants to meet with us, no matter who we are, is further emphasised in the choice of Peter. Peter declares himself a sinner, and not worthy of being close to Jesus. Instead of accepting this, Jesus invites him to get to know him better and promises him that he would later on be entrusting him with a big responsibility … that of continuing his mission. We really, do resemble Peter! We are all sinners, however Jesus trusts us, if nothing else, with our families. Therefore, we are responsible, to bring to Jesus, first and foremost, our children and family.

A reading from the Gospel of Luke (Lk 5, 1-11) 

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signalled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them.  They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. 

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

The Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

  1. Read the Gospel story so that you are familiar with it.
  2. Reflect on what the Gospel story is saying to you. Which points would you highlight and why?
  3. After a night of fishing, Peter had caught nothing. He was tired and discouraged. What is weighing you down and discouraging you at the moment? For sure, Peter was an experienced fisherman, he was definitely more qualified than Jesus, however he trusts him and obeys his bidding. Can you too, turn to Jesus, and allow him to lead you?
  4. Being Christian, involves taking risks, it is not a call to a comfortable lifestyle. Jesus asks Peter to go to deeper waters. What will you do? Are you ready to go to the deeper waters Jesus is sending you to, or will you stay on the shore?
  5. Together with your family find the right time to read this Gospel. The environment helps, so before you start, prepare;
    i. The Bible reading from St Luke (5, 1-11)
    ii. A candle
    iii. Cover the table with a white cloth
    iv. A computer/laptop with the reading and clips
    v. Go through the steps with your children (2 age groups are being suggested)
  6. Feel free to adapt to your situation
  7. Be creative 😊 

Have you ever went fishing? Or maybe you have watched someone fish. Today, we will meet Jesus on a boat, together with Simon Peter and his friends.

  • We will be happy, when we do what Jesus asks
  • Today’s activity printed on white construction paper
  • Colours
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • A box, the size of the fish, covered with blue paper
  • A net, like the ones found with fruit and vegetables
  • Paper clips
  • A short rod or stick
  • String
  • Magnet 
ActivityDownload

Jesus was a really good teacher and many people listened to what he had to say. In today’s Gospel, we hear that since there was such a huge crowd, Jesus went onto a boat, so that he could teach from there, and everyone could see him.

Do you remember what happened after he finished teaching? (he asked Simon to go out to the deep sea)

Why did he ask him to do this? (so that he could go fishing)

How long had Simon and his friends spent fishing? (a whole night)

How many fish had they caught? (nothing)

Did Simon obey Jesus? (yes)

What happened after Simon obeyed Jesus and lowered the nets? (they caught a lot of fish)

Do you think Simon was happy with all these fish?

That day, Simon, caught so many fish, that he needed help to pull them up onto the boat! He never thought that he could catch so many fish, especially after spending a whole night fishing and catching nothing.

What did Jesus tell Simon, after catching the fish? (he told him that from that day onwards, he would be catching men)

What did Jesus mean by these words?

When Jesus told Simon that he would catch men, he was telling him, that he would be teaching others about Jesus. Simon would be “catching” or approaching people so that they would come to know Jesus and become his friends. 

Jesus wants us to catch others too…we will not go fishing for men with a rod! We will catch them when we love others, when we help them, when we behave like Jesus did.

You have four fish for today’s activity. Colour them. You also have four different statements, like helping your parents. Cut out the fish and these statements, with the help of your parents. Glue the statements at the back of the fish. Do a paper clip on each fish. Put the fish in the box, which is wrapped in the net. Attach the string to the rod and at the end of the string attach the magnet. Put your rod near the box of fish. Every day, go fishing, and during the day, see that you do, what is written on the fish you have caught. You may return the fish to the box. (note to parents: you may add more examples (and fish) to the box)
Whilst doing this activity, you may listen to, I will make you fishers of men.

Sign of the cross 

Dear Jesus, I want to be like Simon. I want to be your friend and I want to obey you. Help me to trust you and do what you wish. Thank you Jesus, for all those who teach me about you. Amen.

In today’s Gospel, we will hear how Jesus calls the first disciples, after performing a big miracle.

  • Jesus’ disciples were ordinary people
  • Jesus calls us to follow him, in the same way he called Simon Peter and his friends
  • activity printed on construction paper
  • colours
  • scissors
  • string
  • pencil
  • paper puncher
ActivityDownload

Have you ever gone fishing? Or have you ever watched someone fishing?

How was Peter feeling, after spending a whole night fishing without catching anything? 

Simon Peter was a fisherman by trade. Fishing was his work. What do you think were Simon’s thoughts, when Jesus, who was not a fisherman, asked him to go into the deep waters and cast down the nets?

Today, we heard about the time that Jesus went onto Peter’s boat and after teaching the people from there, he asked him to sail out into the deep water and lower the nets. Peter had spent a whole night fishing without catching anything. Peter was tired. He was a fisherman, and he knew that it was difficult to catch fish during the day. However, instead of laughing at Jesus’ request, instead of getting angry, he obeyed and said: “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

Do you remember what happened next?

They caught so many fish, that they could not haul them all onto one boat and they needed help.

What do you think Peter felt when he saw such a big catch of fish?

Peter recognised that Jesus was someone special. He called Jesus ‘Master’ and ‘Lord’. Do you think Peter recognised that Jesus was the Messiah?

Simon really felt that Jesus was a special person, so much so that he told him: “I do not deserve to be your friend, I am a man who makes bad choices.” However, instead of moving away from him, Jesus invited him to get to know him better and told him that he would now start to ‘catch men.’ Jesus wanted Simon to get to know him better, so that after his departure (Jesus’ ascension unto heaven), he could continue teaching the people. Do you remember the miracle at Cana? All that good wine showed us how much Jesus loves us. Through today’s Gospel, Jesus wants to show us again, his great love. Peter and his friends did not catch some fish. They caught so much, that the nets were going to be torn apart. This is how much God loves us, God loves us much more than we can understand or deserve!

Jesus is also calling us to get to know him better, like Peter did. How can we do this? For today’s activity, you are going to do a mobile, which you can hang in your room. It will first help you think about how you can get to know Jesus better, and when it is hung, it will remind you of what you are to do.

First colour the pictures. Then read, what is written on each fish, and on the back write what you can do to get to know Jesus better, how you can listen more to what Jesus is telling you. On another, write what you can do to be like Jesus and how you will pray more. When you are ready, make a hole on the blue circles. Pass the string from the holes to create a mobile. Hang it in your room.
Whilst doing this activity, listen to, Step by step.

Sign of the cross.

Today, say St John Henry Newman’s prayer

Dear Jesus, help me to spread your fragrance everywhere I go;
Flood my soul with your spirit and life;
Penetrate and possess my whole being so completely
That all my life may be only a radiance of yours;
Shine through me and be so in me
That everyone with whom I come into contact
May feel your presence within me.
Let them look up and see no longer me—but only Jesus.
Amen.

Gospel in symbols Download here

How to use this space

God speaks to us in many ways, including through the Sunday Scripture readings. Here you will find useful background and activities to better understand the upcoming Sunday's Scripture readings, helping you to connect the Scripture to daily life in a meaningful way.