Go Fish

Letting Jesus catch you

Mark 1:16-20

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

            How many of you like to go fishing?  It’s very special to go fishing with our grandpa.  When I go fishing with someone I always have to check: “We’re going fishing, right; not catching!?”  I never catch anything, but I love to fish!  One of the best fishing stories ever written was called “The Old Man and the Sea” by Earnest Hemingway, who by the way, married a lady from Piggot, Arkansas.  (Hemingway has good taste in women!)  It’s about an old fisherman who has very bad luck fishing: he didn’t catch anything for 84 days – that’s worse than me!  But then he catches a huge marlin, but by the time he gets back to shore, the marlin has been eaten by sharks.  You see, the big marlin was a symbol for Jesus.  Just like the marlin removed the bad luck for the old man, so Jesus blesses us and gives us his grace, not just taking away our bad luck, but giving us his love.

            In the gospel today, we hear another story about fishing, but this one is very different.  There are four professional fisherman, who were like the Old Man.  Who were they?  Peter, Andrew, James and John.  But they are not the ones really fishing in the story.  Can you guess who the real fisherman was?  It was Jesus!  And who are the “fish” that Jesus is trying to catch?  He’s fishing for his apostles.  You see, in Hemingway’s novel the Old Man is the fisherman and Jesus is the fish; but in the Bible, the roles are reversed: Jesus is the fisherman and he’s trying to catch us.  By the way, did Jesus always succeed in catching his fish?  Can you remember “the one that got away” from him?  That’s right: Judas, who betrayed him.  Fishing is not easy for anyone, not even for Jesus (that makes me feel better).

            Boys and girls, sometimes we are the fisherman, but sometimes we are the fish that someone else is trying to catch.  When you are the fisherman, you may fish for football trophies!  Or, you may fish for the lucky lottery ticket so you can get rich quick!  Or, you may just like to play the game, “Go fish!”  But remember that other people may also be fishing for you!  Coaches may fish for you to come play on their football or basketball team.  I'm always sad to hear about students who go to public schools just for sports instead of a Catholic school.  Remember: someone is trying to catch you.  Boys sometimes fish for girls like Hemingway came fishing for his wife in Arkansas – you can catch more than catfish in this state!  But most importantly, Jesus is fishing for you, and he’s fishing for me.  Let him catch you and haul you home to heaven.  When Jesus comes fishing for you, don’t be “the one that got away.”

            Praised be Jesus Christ!