From the Hermitage
Dear Friends,
Good morning. Trust in God is what the gospel is about. No doubt most Christians will say, "Yes, I trust in God." Examine your heart for a few moments. Is there something you want, something you feel you need so much that it is on your mind many minutes each day? So, the question: do you honestly believe that God will grant your request? Do you pray to God asking over and over again for what you want? Do you call in the second team, the saints and angels, to ask God on your behalf for what you want? I suspect that this is how most of us express our trust in God.
What do we learn from St. Peter, the fisherman, in today's gospel? He so much wanted to bring in a large catch of fish. Of course he would want a large catch of fish? We learned in the New Testament writings that Peter was often one seeking the "more." He was a businessman. He had to make money for himself and his fishing crew. When he heard the voice from the shoreline telling him to go back out into deeper waters and in a specific area, he responds like most of us might respond if Jesus came to us in our prayers for what we want and gave us directions such as pray for your needs. "Don't you see we have been fishing all night and have caught nothing." Jesus probably repeated his directions for Peter. Yet Peter did not give up. If your were writing a story about this event, you could easily put Peter's words like what you have read in the gospel. "Okay! Okay! Because you are encouraging us to go out again, even though we are exhausted, we will set out from the shore. Peter did not fail to trust. And you know the rest of the story! So do you have the same degree of trust and tenacity?
Have a good day!
Oremus pro invicem!
Fr. Milt
