Cast the Net over the right side of the boat

Third Sunday of Easter 

04 May 2025

 

First Reading: Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13

Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14

Gospel: John 21:1-19

 

Reflection

By: Jose Paulo M. Gonzales

 

"Cast the net over the right side of the boat."

Have you been having trouble lately trying to find out where to lower your net for a good catch? Toiling all day and night, only to be met by an unsatisfying yield?

That must have been the feeling of Peter. Leaving everything behind the moment he found Christ, setting out for mission a great part of his life, trying to live the life of an apostle whatever it could have meant before — as it could have been more difficult a task configuring oneself in character when the groundwork for what is moral is still freshly being laid down. The apostles had Christ to follow; but when Christ died, much to their dismay, who else did they have?

In the Gospel today, some Bible scholars say that when Peter said, "I am going fishing," it was nothing normal — like the average run of the mill — or rather, it was a dejected feeling of getting back to "what was normal" when they still did not know Christ; for if Christ is dead, what else is there to do? What else is there to live for? The apostles could only make do with what they knew before — their former ways of life. They could only say to the just as despirited Peter, "We also will come with you; [for what else but we should rather go fishing with you]."

Have we been anything like this? Seeing Christ faintly to nothing at all, we revert to our old ways of life? We are not alone; we could see how somber Peter and the other apostles had been when they had no sight of Christ; for when you chance upon a Good that surpasses everything, what better is there when it is gone? But one popular saying today would hold wisdom in this: "The eyes that awaken can never go back to being shut again." In Matthew 5:15, it is said: "Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house." The apostles saw the light of Christ and because it was so good, they knew nothing else but to grow despondent when they could not see it anymore; but the Bible tells us not to turn back. Instead, we must let the light we have seen in Christ illumine ourselves for others to see. No sight of Christ does not mean there is no Presence of Him there. For here He always is with us in Spirit; “Emmanuel.”

That time in the Gospel, as it would seem, Jesus had already shown Himself to the apostles for the third time, but it was not until Christ did anything "Christlike" that the apostles recognized Him; in some Bible interpretations this would reflect not only unfamiliarity but even weak faith — and this is we, too, when we encounter setbacks; but the Bible would tell us to keep walking in faith. For like riding a bicycle, we lose our balance if we stop or look down.

In the Gospel, the word "third" was mentioned multiple times to signify not only frequency, but ultimately, "Divine completion." So when Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love Me?" Jesus was not only being repetitive; each time He asked—as some Bible scholars would say—was a chance for Peter to atone for his threefold refusal of any  association with Jesus. "Feed My sheep"—Christ would say—to package how this atonement must take place; three times as well, meaning, in divine perfection.

Today is the third Sunday of Easter. Christ is alive forevermore; but to us who stay sullen upon our immutable woes, there is this question: "Where have we been casting our nets? Have we been casting it over the right side of the boat, as Jesus said?"

Prayer

Dear, Lord Jesus, Thank You for ever being with us even/especially when we feel hopeless about our situations at times. Please be steadfast in Your love and let it teem so richly where we could not.  

Please help our unbelief. May all the gifts we receive from this redound to Your Glory and bring furtherance to Your mission. All these we ask in Jesus' most holy Name, and in Mother Mary's loving and powerful intercession, Amen. 

Go into the Deep

 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

06 February 2022

 

First Reading: IS 6:1-2a, 3-8

Responsorial Psalm: PS 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

Second Reading: 1 COR 15:1-11

Gospel: LK 5:1-11

 

Reflection

By: Sem. Carlo Alexis R. Malaluan

 

I love walking through labyrinths. The first time I walked through a labyrinth was over five years ago when I was invited for a personal retreat in Tagaytay. I was drawn to the slow pace to which the pathway lends itself and to long rests sitting in the center praying. As you go along the path, deeper realizations and reflections would arise. Sometimes, the path could be too confusing or overwhelming but a labyrinth is a spiritual encounter - an invitation to journey to the very center of our hearts where God awaits.

This is the very invitation of Christ to the fishermen of Galilee - put into the deep! I could imagine the reactions of these skilled men upon hearing the instruction of the Lord. Of course, they have mastered the sea. It has been their life. They could tell whether or not they could catch fishes. But Christ was insistent - duc in altum! Most of the time, we have thought that we already mastered our own seas - our lives, our relationships, our work, our priorities, our dreams and desires. We thought we knew the deepest recesses of our hearts only to find out that we have been casting our nets on the wrong side of the sea. We have been overly familiar with the world we create for ourselves thus we end up being frustrated and lonely because it is not our reality. But Christ sees us through. Christ looks tenderly on the things we fail or choose not to look at. Time and time, He invites us to go deeper - to put ourselves into the depths of our being and to see our own reality, our own brokenness and woundedness.

In the Camaldolese Constitutions, there is a passage that I like very much. It reads: "We are frequently cast out from our hearts as the sea casts out a dead body." We don't like going into the deep. We go into our hearts and are pushed out. We cannot take it. We cannot stay. We cannot be still because we know that the depth of our being and the silence of our hearts reveals only one reality - that we are broken. And that truth is very uncomfortable. However, it is liberating one - an intimate moment of spiritual breakthrough. This is the same experience of the people of God. Isaiah admits that he is a doomed man with sinful lips and Paul tells that he is not worthy to be called as an apostle. And with Peter we could only say with great humility - "Depart from me, Lord, for I am sinful man."

When we are able to enter into the depth of our hearts and accept the reality of our being - conversion begins. When Isaiah acknowledges his sinful lips, God gave him the faculty to proclaim His message to His people. When Paul and Peter admitted their unworthiness, they were given grace to become witnesses for Christ. Christ already knew how deep our seas were. Christ already knew the unexplored depths of our hearts yet Christ invites us to immerse ourselves in the reality of our lives no matter how shameful, how ridiculous and wounded they are.

When we are able to go into the depth of our hearts - we will only find one thing: the love of Christ that loves us even in the darkest deepest reality of our lives.

Prayer

Lord, You know my heart and my whole being more than I do. I offer You the entirety of my being most especially the parts where it is painful or shameful for me to look at. Grant me the grace to journey into the deepest parts of my soul ever consoled that I would find Your unchanging love in the brokenness of my heart. Amen.

 

On the Same Sea

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time 9 August 2020
First reading 1 Kings 19:9, 11-13

At that place Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. ” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Second reading                                                          Romans 9:1-5

I am speaking the truth in Christ-I am not lying; my conscience confirms it by the Holy Spirit- I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.

Gospel                                                                          Matthew 14:23-33

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear.

Immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid. ” Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water. ” He said, “Come. ” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Reflection

By Bernard M. Borja

Let me share a story about a fisherman and his son:

One late evening, a fisherman took his 13-year old son with him on a boat and went fishing. They threw their nets out when they were at the middle of the sea and waited. As the hours passed by, the weather was becoming rough. The wind blew stronger and the waves started crashing to both sides of their boat. The fisherman was afraid but not because of the storm. He was used to this kind of weather ever since he was a young fisherman. This time, he was afraid for his son. This was his son’s first fishing at the middle of the sea. He was being tossed from both ends of the boat as the wind got stronger and the waves got bigger. But the look on the boy’s face made him curious and somehow enough to calm the fear of the fisherman. His face shows as if everything will be fine.

“Don’t worry, father. All is well with us. The storm will pass in a while.” said the boy with such an assuring look in his eyes. As they both tried to pull the nets, they saw another boat not far from where they are. It was full of people trying to hold on for their lives. But the fisherman and his son were stunned when a white figure appeared near where the struggling men are.

“Father, look!” said the boy pointing at the white figure. “I think I know that man!” The fisherman was astounded not because he also recognized the man, but they were seeing him walking on the water and unfazed by the strong winds. Suddenly, they saw one man going out of the other boat and tried to get near the man in white. The fisherman and his son were amazed to see that the man who came from the boat can also walk on water. But after a few steps from the boat, the man began to sink and was crying out for help. The man in white reached out his hand to pull the sinking man and they both got back into the boat. Suddenly, the storm passed and the sea became calm as if nothing happened.

The fisherman asked his son, “How did you find the courage and believe that the storm will not take us? I was afraid that you might despair and cry out when we were getting hit by the waves. But it was you who assured me that everything is well.” The boy said to him, “Because you are with me. I know that any father would not mean harm to his child especially if he wants to teach his good ways. I am the son of a fisherman who still insists on fishing in spite of the rough weather and even if his family does not want him to go.

But most of all, before we even got into the boat, our supper made me trust someone who I know will take care of us even if he is not near. It was you who wanted to go and listen to that man before we go fishing. We only have five loaves and two fish which are enough to sustain us in the middle of the sea while fishing. But when I offered these to that man, he multiplied it and shared the food to everyone who was also there. We still have more when we return home. That moment, I knew that all will be well if we trust that God will take care of our needs.”

The fisherman smiles as he says, “You’re right, son. I am somehow ashamed to have forgotten the grace we have received yesterday. But seeing that same man who we listened to, walking on the water while the storm got terrible, I had a feeling that he will save not just that boat full of men, but also all the other boats in this sea.”

Of course this story is not in the Bible, but somehow this alternate story may remind us that the saving grace of God will always be for all. As St. Paul said, even the Jews and Gentiles in spite of their unbelief, are included in the divine plan of eternal salvation. The apostle was even willing to be excluded from this salvation if it will help his fellow Jews understand and believe that Christ is the Messiah.

Trusting is one big part of the whole plan. But being aware of the presence of God is as important as trusting and believing. Today, we are invited to become aware of God’s presence as He continues to reveal Himself to us in this difficult time. Just like how God revealed Himself to Elijah through a light whispering sound (a sound like silence), we need to constantly seek God through silence and be able to dwell in His presence. Though in the middle of this storm, we might have doubts arising like the disciples in the sea. But we must remember how Jesus revealed himself saying, “It is I. Take courage.”

The disciples,especially Peter, did not immediately recognize Jesus. Peter still insisted for Jesus to reveal Himself again through something extraordinary. Jesus responded to Peter’s request, and Peter was able to walk on water. But even in walking, Peter may not still be aware of the presence of Jesus. Only because of the strong winds, and as he started to sink, did he acknowledge that Jesus is with them.

Maybe we are like Peter. After all the extraordinary things we have witnessed in our life, we still seek more of it. Maybe because we are used to being aware of the presence of God in the grander events in our life. God is inviting us to find Him in all things, most especially in ordinary things. Today, we may be in the middle of the sea being tossed by the waves because of a violent storm, but looking at how the men and women in white (our healthcare workers) extend their reach to the needy may remind us of how Jesus pulled Peter out of the water. God also reveals Himself today through simple things like a prayer that we came across social media, which also moved us to pray; or a phone call from a loved one who really wants to see and embrace us but are not able to, which remind us that all will be well in time; or the provisions that we have which enables us to give a portion to the needy, but still have enough for our own household.

Finding God today may be difficult if we can only see the pain and suffering. But these pain and suffering may help us cry out to God, Who helps us see and feel His consolation through the people who continue to give without counting the cost, the people who work hard but do not seek rest, and through the people who continue to serve even without receiving any reward.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, thank You for staying with us always to assure us that everything will be well. Help us to trust in You always and be aware of Your presence in all things. In moments of doubts, we ask You not to turn away but pull us out from the water as we sink. May we strengthen our faith as we continue to seek You in each other. Please continue to protect us especially our healthcare workers as they risk their lives in saving the lives of the sick. This we ask through the intercession of our dear Mother Mary. Amen.