Put out into deep water
Command: Put out into deep water (Lk 5,4), given by the Lord Jesus in today's Gospel to St. Peter, John Paul II made a call, a slogan for the 21st century. Our refuge is depth, reaching the very sources. Today's crisis of faith is that faith has been reduced to recognizing certain truths and to behaving in a decent manner. It no longer belongs to the scope of faith or example, what St. Paul prayed for the Colossians: “We do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (cf. Col 1:9)
For an "ordinary" believer, it is enough for him to recognize what the Church recognizes as truths, without going deeply into these truths, because it would be too difficult. Anyway, in the Church itself, one does not often talk about deeper content, and even less often introduce them through spiritual practices. There is a clear lack of mystagogical catecheses, practical introduction to the experience of God present in the sacrament and everyday life, to the practice of prayer, to constant ascetic practices aimed at purity of heart in order to experience God's presence. In fact, catechesis is limited to the oral transmission of the truths of faith. If Christianity is to survive, then only as an authentic experience of depth.
During Jesus' ministry, miracles served this purpose. After experiencing the miraculous catch of fish, St. Peter understood, that he was dealing with someone close to God, therefore “he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” (cf. Luke 5: 8). Meeting with holiness awakens in us fear. Without it, our relationship to God is marked today by a lack of seriousness. It seems to us that the merciful God will somehow forgive everything, will not count the sins and let us into his kingdom. But in the faith that Jesus brought us, it is not only about "catching" a group of people in Paradise, but about a deep bond of entrustment and knowledge in love, which leads to full communion of life.
When we enter the mystery of the Eucharist, it is precisely about reaching to the source and penetrating into the holy things of God until we are completely united with Him in communion.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george