21. Will Peter continue his trade as a fisherman?

WHAT WILL TURN UP PETER’S LIFE?

Imagine Jesus by a lake and a whole crowd gathering around him to be sure to hear it. There is no microphone or amplifier at this time! They jostle to be as close as possible to him … so much that Jesus nearly has his feet in the water. Very near there, on the shore, there are two boats with Peter John James and a few very sad and very tired fishermen. – We’re exhausted, they say to each other with a sigh, and we haven’t finished! Indeed, they fished all night. They had to throw the nets, pull them and throw them again and start over and over and all that for nothing. They didn’t take a single fish. They are exhausted and yet they cannot go to rest, they must now clean the nets, remove algae, shell debris, branches and repair the holes, otherwise you can imagine, hop! the fish return to the water. – When you think that tonight, said one of them, we will have to go back again and spend all night on the lake! – Yes, let‘s hope the fishing will be better this time! Fishing is their job, a tough job. Jesus draws near to them. – Peter, let me get into your boat, he says, and go a bit further from the shore. Peter lets him get in and he gives a few strokes of the oar. Jesus seated in the boat begins to speak of the Kingdom of God. Anyone can see and hear it! When he’s finished, everyone goes home happy to have listened to him. His words do so much good, they encourage, they give back hope. He tells them about the love of God. – Now Peter, says Jesus, go where the water is deep and with your friends throw your nets for fishing. You’re going to catch fish. – But, we worked all night without taking anything! Peter is puzzled they never go fishing in broad daylight, when it’s hot, and they are so exhausted. Why should they go back on the lake? What for? But Peter thought twice – Since it is you, Lord, who ask me, I will do it! I will throw the net. He moves towards the middle of the lake and he throws the net… The net begins to sink, it fills. But where do all these fish come from? There is so much of it that the net is now about to tear! – Come! Come!” he shouts, signaling to James an John who are in the other boat. – Come help us! Together, they pull the net out of the water and throw the fish into the first boat; now it is full; and the second, it is quickly full too! They are so full that they sink into the water of the lake. Peter, James and John are witnessing a miracle there, they are frightened, they see the greatness and the power of Jesus. Nature obeys him. Peter lowers his head, he is ashamed of himself. Ashamed not to have immediately believed what Jesus said to him, he feels that his heart is bad. He throws himself to his feet: – Lord, he says to him, I don’t deserve what you‘ve just done for me you know I’m a wretched man! Go away from me. Leave me on my own, because I don’t deserve to be in your presence : – Don’t be afraid, Peter! Jesus tells him, from now on you will no longer catch fish, but you will be a fisher of men! Jesus does not reject him but on the contrary he announces to him that his life is going to switch completely. He will become a fisher of men that is to say a preacher of the Gospel, he will announce this good news of the love of God and of the coming of Jesus. Peter, James and John bring the boats back to the shore. – We entrust you with the boats and the fish, they say to their father and to the workers who are there. We are going with Jesus; we are going to follow him. And off they go for a life full of adventure. In our next stories, you will see that Peter will be a preacher like Jesus told him that day.

1, 2 3, 4 AND YOU AND ME! Since I have known Jesus, my life has changed. I’m not perfect, I would like to do what pleases him, believe what he says, but that’s not always the case. Fortunately, he is patient, he does not reject me but he encourages me. I know he loves me and he wants to help me do what is pleasing to him. You too can believe in him, you can ask him to take care of you, to help you. You can also ask him to guide you, to help you prepare for your future? Before we close, let’s see the answer to the question, what did Jesus say to Peter? He said to him: – Do not be afraid, from now on you will be a fisher of men.

4, 3, 2, 1 AND WE PARENTS! When Jesus intervenes in our life, we are deeply moved. We feel his greatness, his divinity but also the misery of our heart. We can say like Peter: “I am a fisherman and I do not deserve your kindness”. How many times has he used his kindness, his patience towards us, despite our shortcomings and our doubts? His word is always there to encourage us, comfort us. Our children can also have moments of doubt, of discouragement, it is up to us to accompany, strengthen them with good words. Jesus loves us despite our failings, he loves our children too, they need to be reminded often.