Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, as well as the day of St. Sergius of Radonezh!

Today, for the first time this year, we heard the Sunday Gospel reading from Luke. We read a wonderful excerpt in which we heard about the miraculous catch of fish which took place at the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry. Today let’s focus our attention especially on the apostle Peter. It is unsurprising that Peter becomes one of the main disciples of Christ and the head of the apostles if we take into account his spiritual talents which shine through so brightly in today’s Gospel excerpt.

Today’s Gospel narrative tells us that Peter was a fisherman. It is interesting to remember that after the death and resurrection of the Saviour, Peter, as if not knowing what else to do without his beloved teacher, gets into his little ship and once again takes up what is most habitual for him, that is fishing. We see that both at the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry and at the end Jesus finds Peter in a boat with fishing nets. Both times Christ calls this man to Himself with a miracle – an unnaturally large catch of fish. This is not a coincidence, but was purposefully done by the Lord so as to draw to Himself the Apostle Peter. Peter was a simple man and knew only one thing thoroughly, that is, of course, fishing. He knew everything – where the fish were located, how to catch them, what type of nets are needed, etc. In this sphere Peter could not be deceived and therefore Christ uses a miracle tied to fishing to call this fisherman and make out of him a fisher of men, that is, a preacher and missionary.

Today we heard how our Lord Jesus Christ finished preaching and asked that Simon Peter untie his boat, take it out into the deep water, and let the nets out into the lake. Jesus Christ, a talented preacher and by profession a carpenter, is instructing a professional fisherman how to catch fish. Here the Apostle Peter shows his wonderful spiritual talents – obedience, humility, and meekness. He as if calmly answers: Master! I’m a good fisherman and know my trade well; all night I struggled and caught nothing. It’s already too late, the fish have left, and we will not catch a thing, but since You, my most beloved Teacher, are asking, I will do as you say. It seems to me that the more natural answer for a fisherman, the more worldly, realistic answer, would have been: It’s not going to work; all night I struggled; I’m tired, therefore I’m not even going to try.

For his supernatural trust in the Saviour, Simon Peter is rewarded with a supernatural catch of fish. There were so many of them that the little ship began to sink. Here again Peter, as well as his workmates, James and John, show their high spiritual maturity. It would seem that having caught so many fish, these men will now make a good profit and will be able to celebrate a successful day. Peter will spend it with his wife, the sons of Zebedee – with their parents, but this is not what happens. These people, simple fisherman but most-wise spiritual sages, leave everything that is earthly and temporal – their catch, their ships and nets; they drop literally everything and follow after Christ. Before them is earthy happiness, but they choose heavenly things.

Through the prayers of the holy and glorious Apostles Peter, James, and John as well as Saint Sergius of Radonezh, may the Lord God grant us those spiritual characteristics which were so clearly manifested in Simon Peter in today’s Gospel reading, namely obedience, humility, and meekness. Let the Lord God also, through the prayers of these saints, help us to pay less attention to temporal happiness and to always follow after Christ!

priest Alexis