Put Out Into the Deep

One of my favorite Bible passages comes from the Gospel of Luke: Peter and the Miraculous Catch of Fish. Simon Peter had been working tirelessly all night, using every trick of the trade to catch a fish and he has no success. Jesus tells Simon Peter, “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. (Luke 5: 4-6)

Jesus invited Peter to “put out into the deep” for a catch: “Duc in altum” in Latin. Peter shared his doubts but he did not hesitate to obey. The miracle catch of fish dramatically transforms Peter and he immediately gains a deeper realization of who Jesus was. He was aware of his own vulnerability and sinfulness before the Lord. This passage indicates how Jesus performed this miracle to demonstrate his power and help the fisherman understand him and what was the come. Immediately, Peter, Andrew, James and John leave their boats and nets and follow him. They understand now that Jesus is capable of providing for them. 

I find myself coming back to this lesson in my own life. I am constantly seeking for a greater way of silencing my mind and allowing Christ to speak to me, hoping I can respond with obedience to God’s way. Had Peter not responded with obedience, he would have failed to experience the miracle and the blessings that resulted. We must strive to serve, sacrifice, and be a witness to Him. He is there 100 percent of the time; he will not fail to provide for us. He will not act contrary to His word. We must not resent the opportunity to invest time, effort, talent and energy when God calls on us to do so.

When we fully surrender our lives to Jesus and obey him, our lives will be full beyond our imagination. The abundance of fish, symbolizes the abundance that Christ bestows on us. In our obedience, God will bless us beyond our expectations. In the case of the disciples in this passage, Jesus’ teaching affected their livelihoods. Like them, worship and service are to make up major parts of our lives and we must consistently maintain righteousness in both.

In his Apostolic letter “Novo Millennio Inuente”, Blessed Pope John Paul II stated the significance of these words, “Duc in altum.” He wrote “These words ring out for us today, and they invite us to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm and to look forward to the future with confidence. Duc in altum tells us to look beyond ourselves and put into lively motion Jesus’ very words. He, who became incarnate two thousand plus years ago, is at work today. He accompanies us on our way and enables us on our way and enables us to recognize him.