We worked all night but caught nothing

 1 Cor. 3:18-23, Lk. 5:1-11. Today’s first reading describes Paul’s remedy for arrogance and pride: Let there be no boasting and no name dropping like, “I am of Paul or of Apollos or of Cephas.” We should count our blessings, for “all things are yours,” but then remember: you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s. To appreciate our blessings can spur us to generosity. After Peter and his friends had landed a netful of fish from doing what Jesus told them, they were willing to risk all and follow Him.

Most of us will have tasted the experience of failure in one shape or form. We may have failed to live up to the values and the goals that we had set ourselves; some enterprise or some initiative that we had invested in may have come to nothing; some relationship that was important to us may have slipped away from us. All such experiences can leave us feeling disheartened. Such a move from failure to success is told in today’s Gospel. We can hear Peter’s discouragement when he mutters: “We worked all night and caught nothing.” Then after the miraculous haul of fish he shouted: “Leave me, Lord; I am a sinful man.” Their initial failure does not have the last word. Jesus changed their fruitless labour into a marvellous catch; and He draws the reluctant Peter into His work of gathering people into God’s kingdom. He is constantly at work in all kinds of unlikely people and situations, changing failure into success. For this to happen in our own lives, we must put our trust in Jesus. He wants us to keeping launching out ‘into the deep’ in response and help Him ‘let down the net’ of His saving grace.

May the Lord make us true instruments of His works and be the ones through whom God would bring His many good works to fruition! Amen!! Have a grace filled day!!!