Sunday A’ Loucas, 5: 1-11
We should hang on to the word of Christ
Peter spent the whole night fishing but his efforts bore no fruit. And as he realises his total weakness and failure he pays heed to what Christ had got to say, he trusts his word and responds immediately. And the miracle happens: his nets fill with fish.
In every specific case the Lord is present and says to us what he has got to say. What’s left to every one of us is to be well-intentioned and ready to listen, to understand and respond accordingly. It doesn’t matter who we have been up to this very minute. If we realise our poverty, our spiritual failure, our nothingness and hang on to the word of Christ and begin from scratch, without doubt all the blessings are going to come to our souls. We will feel we are the children of God.
When Peter saw what many fish he caught in such a miraculous way, he said to Christ: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”(Luke 5: 8). The word of God has to reach your soul and should overwhelm you. It should make you realise your sinfulness. At that moment a judgement should happen in you, as if you are being judged by God. And you may feel an urge to go backwords. No, don’t do so. Come to your senses and realise your situation, let the fear of God come into you but at the same time listen to the voice of Christ: “Fear not”. Christ will definitely comfort your soul, he will caress it, he will mellow it. And, without doubt, if such things happen in your soul, you don’t stay inert. You get your act together, you waste no time and you do like the disciples: “they forsook all and followed Him” (Luke: 5, 11).
Transcribed talks by Archimandrite Symeon Kragiopoulos
From: Holy Hesychasterion “The Nativity of Theotokos” Publications.
