I just did a talk on the Cross of St Benedict evening Angelus show on Facebook. This reflection came this morning after reading the Gospel and is tied to that talk last night.
Trust in Divine Mercy and get out of the boat, get up out of your sorrow and sin and follow Jesus!
“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 with 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.” Luke 5:1-11
This is a marvel of Divine Mercy. I had never seen this story in the light of Divine Mercy before but suddenly it hit me.
Simon Peter saw himself unworthy to even be in the presence of Jesus. He knew at that moment the holiness of Jesus. He declared Him, “Lord”. Simon Peter had just come off a night of failures. They had caught nothing, he was dejected and just wanted to go home. After speaking to the crowd from Simon Peter’s boat, Jesus asked him to ‘put out into the deep water’. And, what did Simon Peter do? The same as most of us, following ‘a night of failures’ he allowed the temptations to fear and negativity to bubble out. He didn’t want to listen to Jesus, he just wanted to run away and go home.
Then, this marvelous miracle! Simon Peter, for a fleeting moment at least, saw Jesus for Whom He was, Lord. He fell to his knees, declared his sinfulness and ‘commanded’ Jesus to get away from him. Yes, think about it, in essence that is precisely what he did. “I am too sinful, if You knew how sinful I have been and how unworthy, You would leave me”. Isn’t that what we all tend to do? When faced with standing before God, we fall to our knees and hide our faces, we know how unworthy we are in His presence.
But, this is where Divine Mercy pours forth upon Simon Peter and us. What was Jesus’ reaction? “Yes, you are horrible but get up”? “You are right, you’re a horrible sinner…bye”? No! Jesus looks at Simon Peter in pure love, doesn’t acknowledge his sinfulness, just tells him to get up and let’s go, now ‘you will be catching men’. Jesus, Divine Mercy Incarnate, didn’t look at Simon Peter’s sin, or his unworthiness. God knows EVERYTHING, He know EVERY sin we have committed and those we will commit. He knew Simon Peter would deny Him even at this moment. But, knowing all this, Jesus moved right past the sins and gave him mission. I can see this moment, Simon on the ground in tears with his face hidden in his hands. He feels hands on his shoulders, as Jesus lifts him from the ground and looks into his eyes. Simon Peter sees no condemnation or anger. All he sees is love. More than that, he is close to Jesus, looking into His eyes. Jesus’s eyes of Mercy and in those eyes, Simon Peter sees his own reflection. But, in that reflection, he doesn’t see himself as he things of himself. No, in the eyes of Divine Mercy, Simon Peter sees the man God sees when He looks at him. He sees himself for all that God created him to be – a saint, the Rock, the fisher of men, the beloved of the Father.
When we confess our sinful nature, that is what Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit sees when they look upon us with the eyes of Divine Mercy. He doesn’t see the sinner, He sees the great saint the Father created.
And, like that day with Simon Peter, He doesn’t even acknowledge the sinfulness. He lifts us up from the ground, with tears of joy in His Holy Eyes, He smiles and gives us mission. Go forth and tell the world of what I have done for you – be a fisher of men. Catch men with My Divine Mercy.
Are we willing to get out of the boat and take that first step? This time He allows us to walk on solid ground as we step out to follow Him. But, someday He may ask us to step out into the deep, stormy water. But, no worries, Jesus will teach us a lot before we get there. But, be ready, He can call for this leap of faith at any moment. Don’t hesitate. Just step out, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus’ eyes – only upon His Holy Eyes. Don’t let the world be caught in your sight. And go!!!