teaching us how to fish
"They were fishermen. He (Jesus) said to them, 'Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men.' " —Matthew 4:18-19
The first calling Jesus gave His disciples was to be "fishers of men." To Jesus' first four disciples, the term "fishers of men" meant that:
- Jesus wanted to use their work experience to build His kingdom.
- Jesus was calling them out of the commercial fishing business (Mt 4:20).
- Jesus was calling them to leave their father and family (Mt 4:22).
- They were to catch people, that is, lead people to Christ.
- Their new kind of fishing would also be hard, back-breaking work with long and difficult hours (see Jn 21:3, 6).
- They would never catch any fish or men except by the grace of God.
Andrew, a fisherman, understood what Jesus meant, and he immediately fished for his brother, Simon (Jn 1:40-41). Andrew was such a champion "fisher of men" that when some Greeks came to Philip and asked to see Jesus, "Philip went to tell Andrew" (Jn 12:22). May we be like Andrew and understand that discipleship is grace to make a radical decision to evangelize no matter what the cost. Let's go fishing with Jesus.
Prayer: Father, may I live and die to evangelize.
Promise: "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." —Rm 10:9
Praise: St. Andrew led the first pope to Jesus (Jn 1:42).
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape on Evangelization is Like Fishing on audio AV 55-1 or video V-55.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert A. Stricker, May 8, 2001
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 18, 2001