While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. 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 of 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.
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| Sea of Galilee |
דטבריא, in Arabic: بحيرة طبرية)
...no matter what you call it, the Sea of Galilee was one of my most favorite places in Israel.
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| Me tossing stones into the Sea of Galilee |
I was privileged to be on the shore at sunrise, and sunset and to ride a boat to the middle. Privileged!
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| Sunset on the Sea of Galilee |
The Sea of Galilee is the largest freshwater lake in Israel, and the lowest in the world (the Dead Sea is lower, but it's salt water).
On our tour, we got to go out on a boat similar to something the men would have used in Jesus' day for fishing (or so they said, I really I didn't get the comparison at all, maybe it was about the size?) It was a wonderful experience that I would suggest everyone who visits Israel do.
As the tour of the lake began, the "crew" raised a flag - American! What a surprise! They were trying to honor us, which was just the sweetest thing ever. (little did we know, that due to the "escalated hostilities" going on at that time, our flag could have been protection for our little boat, or an unknowing target). It was surprising and precious. We sang!
We were all chattering happily and taking pictures and Fr. T centered us all with a reading from the Gospel and a request that we not speak for 10 minutes.
It was amazing.
I found myself on the side of the boat that faced the very spot I had been sitting on the bank at daybreak, looking out to sea exactly where I was now. That's not dejavu, but it's something cool!
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| From the middle of the Sea of Galilee looking back at the Primacy of St. Peter, Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes |
I could see the Primacy of St. Peter and it's small bank where I had sat just this morning, looking out to the middle of the sea where I now sat. (I would say "what a coincidence", but one time I read: a coincidence is a miracle that God doesn't take credit for. Something to think about!)
I could look up the hill from my cherished spot and see the mountain where Jesus gave us the Beatitudes!! Where we had just come from! Where we had just celebrated mass!
Jesus, Peter, James, John....when they were out fishing in this very sea, they could look back at the shore and see that same mountain, that same landscape.
This very sea was where Jesus spectacularly walked on this very water.
The captain of our boat explained how the terrain around the sea - the shape of the mountain and the proximity of the valley which allows for wind to funnel through - it is the perfect setup for sudden, violent storms.
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Brooklyn Museum - James Tissot |
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Brooklyn Museum - James Tissot |
This is the sea that obeyed his commands.
Sigh. It was awesome to be there, thinking of all these things.
After we all finished our meditation time, (which was over too soon for me...I was so lost in thought!) the crew of the boat had a surprise for us. They were going to demonstrate how the disciples and men of Jesus' time would fish with nets.
The story of Jesus gathering his disciplines is in 3 of 4 Gospels. So I was happy to get a chance to see how they fished in those days so I could align my mind with the stories when I listen to them for the rest of my life! It was not what I expected though!
Being from South Carolina, I am used to seeing fishing and shrimping boats at the coast. I have even been out as a guest on a small non-commercial shrimp boat which utilized a cast net. But I always thought the Apostles used large nets which would be manned by multiple people. So i was surprised to see the captain pull out a cast net.
AmericanCatholic.org says: "The cast net is circular, about 20 feet in diameter, with weights of lead attached to the border. One man usually flings the net in a round circle from the shore but it is also done from boats. It required great skill since it had to open completely when it landed on the water trapping the fish underneath it. Peter and Andrew were occupied with this type of fishing when Jesus— summons came to them. The weights come together as the nets sink and encircle the fish. Sometimes, the fishermen on a boat had to jump into the water to retrieve the net and so they often fished naked. They were probably fishing with cast nets when they spied Jesus standing on the shore (Jn 21:7)."
The captain jumped up on the front of the boat...
...folded the long net accordion-style over his arm...
...wound himself by twisting his upper torso and then twirled and launched the net out over the water!
The net opened up into a perfect circle and landed in the water with a terrific splash!
The weights spaced around the edges work together to close it up so the "catch" can be hauled in.....but our demo didn't "net" anything. heeheehee
The captain cast out a second time and again...nothing. We all tried to talk him into "casting his net on the other side", but he just laughed and put the net away!
I guess it would have been awfully disappointing if he would have come up with nothing again, so it's probably best not to test our faith! LOL!
Simon had experienced a long, non-productive night on the water. No catch meant what? No fish for him to sell? Or did it actually mean no breakfast? He returned to the shore and still had all the drudgery of cleanup to do. While he's washing his nets Jesus asks him to take him out in the boat.
Did Simon initially want to say no? Was he exhausted? Dirty? Hungry?
But he said yes to the Lord.
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Brooklyn Museum - James Tissot |
Jesus asks more of him, to cast his nets out into the water. Did Simon's weariness return with the thought? Or maybe he thought Jesus was hungry? Simon warns him that they have fished all night and caught nothing.
But again he complies. Was Jesus so charismatic? Was he so sincere that Simon could not refuse him?
So again, he does what Jesus asked. And Simon is rewarded with nets so overloaded with fish that he needed help pulling them in. Plenty for everyone, maybe a bigger catch than Simon had ever seen before!
And Simon immediately knew he was unworthy! He didn't care about the fish now, he was thinking of his soul - his sinfulness and his unworthiness to even be near Jesus.
But Jesus just tells him, "You think this is something? Wait till you see what you will catch if you stick with me!"
And Simon leaves everything sitting where it is and goes with Jesus.
Wow. The nets, the boat, and all those fish too! He just - again - does what the Lord asks.
I want to be like that!!!
My time on the Sea of Galilee was my favorite part of my trip to Israel. And the boat ride out into the middle was priceless to my spirituality as I listen to the Gospels in church or when I read the Bible.
Dear Lord, Thank You so much for allowing me to experience you on the Sea where your precious Son spent so much time. Please continue to remind me and allow me to re-live the wonder and the touch of the Holy Spirit though my trip. Amen.
2012 Pilgrimage to Israel - Day 5
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