WE CAN ALL BE FISHERMEN CASTING NETS OF LOVE

A father and son went fishing together one afternoon. As they prepared to cast their lines out into the lake, the father said excitedly, "Do you see that big swirl? 

"That must be a really big fish out there," the father said. With that, he tossed his line out in the direction of the swirl and waited. But nothing happened. Suddenly, he saw it again.

"Did you see that big splash? he repeated." Again, he cast out his line, but nothing happened. After a few more attempts the son called over to his father.

"Look," he said, pointing toward the swirling water approaching the boat. "Do you see that?"

Passing beneath them, a massive school of tiny minnows was gliding by, newly hatched. You see, joined together, the school of tiny fish was creating those giant swirls.

We live in a dangerous Age in which our remarkable, wondrous species is drowning in a swirling quest for power, status, and riches. In so many ways, we have tragically fallen short of our ideals: of what life could be -- what life should be. 

There are times, of course, when we display a capacity for love, compassion, and service. And in this, we hold the key to the survival of our God-given humanity. In other words, we have a choice. And we choose in terms of the life we decide to live.

Such a choice -- destined to influence the course of human history even to this day -- was made by a trio of humble fishermen more than two thousand years ago. That small group of disciples -- Simon Peter, James, and John -- were creating such big waves that they were credited with turning the "world upside down."

Today, as a community of Christians enrolled in the divinely created school of “learning how to love” we are newly hatched, so to speak, when we identify with those first disciples. As “fishers of men” they made waves to change people for life, as they cast their awesome nets of love.

What should we do when our nets come up empty?

Look for new bait and create bigger waves!