In today’s gospel reading, we hear Matthew’s version of the calling of the first disciples. Following John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus moved from his hometown of Nazareth to the town of Capernaum, which was located beside the Sea of Galilee. In this ordinary town, among ordinary people, Jesus continued John’s proclamation - “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
It is an urgent message, meant for all people, and so Jesus calls others to join him in this work. While walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus sees two brothers, Simon Peter and Andrew, who are fishing. He says to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus.
James and John were also out in their boat, mending their nets alongside their father Zebedee. Jesus called them to follow, and they, too, left the boat and their father and followed him.
At first glance, it seems that these men would have been ill-equipped for the work Jesus called them to do. They were used to being out in the boat talking about fish, not in the midst of crowds talking about what God was doing. The boats and nets they had so faithfully tended were left behind because they were not the tools needed in the work of fishing for people, whatever that might entail. As these new disciples followed Jesus and learned from him, they obviously grew in their ability to do the work of proclaiming the nearing kingdom of heaven. As he does for each of us, Jesus equipped them for the work he called them to.
And yet, perhaps this new calling wasn’t so different from their old calling after all. Perhaps fishing for fish really did prepare them to fish for people.
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| Photo by Riddhiman Bhowmik on Unsplash |
What is it about fishers that made them particularly well-suited for the work of announcing the good news of the nearing kingdom of heaven? Well, a few things:
The first? Patience. I don’t know if you’ve ever been fishing, but it’s kind of, well, boring. You cast your line or your net and then have to just sit there, waiting, unable to see what’s happening below the surface of the water. You might get a tug on the line, but even that isn’t a guarantee that anything will be on your hook by the time you reel it in. You might sit for hours, even all day with nothing to show for it. At other times, of course, the fish are biting, and the catch is hauled in. But overall, patience is necessary for the meantime.
The same is true of proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of heaven. While we might not say that it’s boring, the transformation that comes through the Gospel is rarely immediate. We cannot see what is happening below the surface; cannot see how the Holy Spirit is at work in people and situations, creating faith, gently nudging, nurturing seeds planted even as we wait. Patience is necessary for the meantime.
The second thing from their experience as fishermen that resonates with the work of proclaiming the kingdom of heaven is the role of community. Fishing, for these men, was a family affair. Pairs of brothers; fathers and sons; business partners - the hard, labor-intensive work of fishing could not be done alone. When the nets were full, they could weigh hundreds of pounds, and had to be hauled into the boat, and then to shore. The rhythm of fishing and sorting, mending and washing, hauling and selling would have required extra hands.
The same is true of the work Jesus calls us to. The good news of the nearing kingdom of heaven is good news for all people. Within the community of the people of God we support and care for one another, jointly bear burdens, and are enriched by the presence of a variety of gifts and skills. It is the people of God - the body of Christ - who are the hands and feet of Jesus in the world. None of us can do this work alone.
The third thing is that the work of fishers is exhausting, messy, and unpredictable. The hours were long and the work physically demanding. As fishers, Simon Peter and Andrew and James and John would have been at the mercy of the weather, and the currents on the lake, and the market price. They would have been accustomed to the messiness and smell and feel of scaly fish and slimy nets.
Our calling to share the good news of the kingdom of heaven cannot be separated from the messiness, exhaustion, and unpredictability of life. Indeed, it is precisely here that Jesus shows up, offering forgiveness and grace, love and belonging, strength and peace. Within the challenging circumstances of life, Jesus calls us to follow and assures us that he will be right there with us every step of the way.
Just as Jesus called Simon Peter and Andrew, James and John, so too does Jesus call each of us. As we answer the call to follow, we bring with us our gifts and our failings, our joys and fears. Forgiven and nourished by the very presence of Christ, we are equipped and strengthened by the Holy Spirit to receive and share the good news - the kingdom of heaven has come near.
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