2-1-22 - Experts

You can listen to this reflection here. Sunday's gospel reading is here.

Would a Wall Street whiz take financial tips from a wizard? A maestro adopt singing techniques from a Zen master? An athlete take coaching from an ascetic? Why on earth would a lifelong fisherman who knows his home waters like his own face take angling advice from an itinerant rabbi?

Jesus got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.”

What exhaustion and exasperation Simon must have felt. When the fish aren’t biting, they’re not biting – or in this case, swimming into your nets. Try again tomorrow. They’d already come home, were already cleaning their nets. Why go out again now? And what does this guy know about it?

But Simon agrees. He calls Jesus “Master.” Is he already a follower of Jesus? The Gospel of John tells us that Simon’s brother Andrew met Jesus first, became convinced he was the long-awaited Messiah, and brought Simon to meet him. Perhaps a relationship is already growing; perhaps Jesus has set the bait and is just waiting for Simon to bite. Whether out of trust or politeness, Simon heads back out into the deep waters and lets down the nets.

Have you ever felt an instruction from Jesus, a Holy Spirit nudge? Did you act on it? What happened? It can be hard to hear or respond when these nudges come in areas where we are experts. Even clergy, who are supposed to be moving on the winds of the Spirit all the time, can become so locked into our techniques and patterns that we are slow to respond in new ways, to even see that God is offering new opportunities, new places to set our nets. But everyone can find themselves working more effectively and grace-fully when we invite Jesus to be part of our work – teachers, doctors, actors, lawyers… God wants to work through us, especially where we are gifted and trained.

We have to be willing to listen, and we have to be willing to go back out when we’ve failed if we sense Jesus inviting us to. Often we need to go to the deep water, where we can’t see the bottom, where the risk might be greater, where the outcome is unclear. The deep water also means going deep into our spirits, where we can dwell with God and be formed as Christ followers.

Going to the deep water requires us to let go and trust Jesus. When we let his Spirit work through us, instead of drawing on our own limited strength and insight, we soon find our nets full to bursting.

To receive Water Daily by email each morning, subscribe here. Next Sunday’s readings are here. Water Daily is now a podcast!  Subscribe to it here on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.