Jesus teaches the crowd thirsty for the Word of God. This crowd represents all of humanity, created by God and in need of HIM.

 

Jesus teaches the crowd thirsty for the Word of God. This crowd represents all of humanity, created by God and in need of HIM. A humanity that, in itself, seeks God, but that also submits to the yoke of sin and, consequently, becomes its own enemy through those who place themselves in the position of “guides” in the most varied areas of government administration, of those who submit to them. Such leaders do not always act with justice and for the common good. Historically, we know of the serious consequences of the actions of inhumane leaders in the lives of the simplest people, of the misery caused to many, of social backwardness and of the sick socio-economic-psychological context in which man has always found himself and which is much worse in the present times. Society is sick because all who constitute it are sick. Human neglect, the valorization of worldliness, disrespect, individualism, immorality, appearance, “guesswork” instead of truth, the unbridled pursuit of pleasure at any cost, the struggle for possessions without any effort, fanaticism in many, and indifference toward God are increasingly evident. In fact, this reality urgently needs the WORD OF GOD.

2 – Jesus’ teaching begins with the affirmation that “the Kingdom of God is at hand,” because He Himself is the presence of God in history and His message is salvific. He teaches about love, defining it as the total surrender of oneself to God and to one’s neighbor; about the need to put the Kingdom of God first and put everything else into perspective; about the practice of mercy and forgiveness; about the possibility of overcoming a self-centered vision, being capable of loving one’s own enemy; about the truth of His person and His mission; about the beauty of being a human being according to God and for God. Finally, Jesus teaches about faith, hope and love, revealing Himself as the ONLY Way, Truth and Life. In other words, there is no other road that can lead humanity to communion with God other than the Son of God. There will be no true transformation of man until he encounters Jesus Christ. Humanity needs to know, truly and urgently, the logic of the Lamb of God. 3 – It is necessary to advance to deeper waters. The sea symbolizes evil and death. The boat symbolizes the Church of Jesus Christ. The fishermen are His apostles and disciples. The fish are all those who are submerged in the reality of sin and death. Going to deeper waters means reaching, mainly, those who are in a “terminal state” of involvement in sin, that is, those who are considered lost, who have no hope, who have already been dominated by evil. It also means those who are completely unaware of the presence of God through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, it also refers to those who, despite having had an experience with Christ, find themselves in a deep crisis due to so many scandals and problems in their own lives and in their families. It is also a matter of going to the peripheries of human misery. Fishing in these “deep waters” means freeing these people through the Word of God, with concrete actions of love and hope, giving them the possibility of leaving behind the evil in which they find themselves, the blindness that strongly affects them, the bonds of vices, the darkness of lack of meaning, and coming to the light. Unlike fish, they are not “caught” for death, but for the Life of God. 4 – The success of fishing does not depend on the fisherman, but on the grace of God. In obedience to the Word of God, disciples must advance into the deep waters of the world, of human misery and of sick societies, in order to illuminate them with Christ, each one being a transparency of the Savior. The Gospel has reached this point because of the choice of Jesus, His grace and will, through the action of His Holy Spirit, in the lives of those chosen, who understood the importance of the Son of God and the proclamation of the Saving Word. Faced with the initiative and power of Jesus, the apostles and disciples, after having reached faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, after the resurrection, spared no effort to announce the Good News to the people. They no longer feared the leaders of Israel or the power of the Roman Empire, and they did not falter in the face of the logic of Greek thought and Jewish and pagan religiosity. They were determined, passionate and convincing, through the testimony of their own lives. Limited and weak, certainly, but accompanied by the Power of God, the Spirit of Truth, they were able to transform the world forever. This mission must be continued today, now, through me and you. Courage!