Gradual approach – Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
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In today’s Gospel reading (Luke 5: 1–11) we discern three moments related to obedience and spiritual growth.
First, Christ, being pressed by the multitude, asked Simon Peter for a favour, if He could use their boat, their possession and property, for preaching. Simon and his companions obeyed Him: “Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to go a little farther from the shore. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.”
Second, Christ tests their obedience once more, but this time Simon Peter and his companions are not required to give or lend any property, but to put their minds into obedience and activate all their skill and remaining strength in carrying out the word of Christ. In other words, instead of possessions, Christ asked them to invest themselves, their strength, and their time: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch!”
Peter and his companions obey: “Teacher, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless by Your word I will let down the net. ” They obey because they are surely touched by the word in (with) power that they had heard in the preceding sermon spoken by Jesus.
Along with the second act of obedience, Christ returns them the favour in a material sense: “And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, so much so that their nets were breaking. “So they signalled to their friend in the other boat to come and help them; and they came and filled both the boats, so that they were about to sink.”
And spiritually: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at the feet of Jesus, saying, ‘Depart from me; for I am a sinful man. O, Lord!’ For he and all who were with him were astonished (frightened) at the catch of fish they had taken; and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.”
Third, after testing their devotion in their obedience as well as their humility, Christ calls them to apostleship: “And Jesus said to Simon, Do not be afraid; “From now on you will catch men! So when they had brought both of their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.”
Do you see how the Lord guides His disciples through the process of spiritual growth through wholehearted obedience and how He gradually and wisely brings them to His way? First, they saw a crowd gathered around Him and they became interested in receiving Him on their boat, then they themselves heard His word that attracted them to listen to Him, and finally, after seeing the result of obeying Him, they became disciples and followed Him – leaving all. Wonderful!
Otherwise, a fisher (hunter) of men, i.e. a spiritual father can only be called a man who, by the grace of God, has prepared himself and has been called by the Church for that purpose (not a self-proclaimed man). A man who enlightened his mind with prayer in his heart. A man with a word that springs from his purified heart and that reaches to the depths of the heart of his neighbour; a man with the presence in the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit. In his presence, the passions are paralysed, the demon runs away, and his word brings light, strength and hope into the other person’s heart.
We can only expel the demon from others if we have expelled it from ourselves beforehand. If we reach (touch) our own heart, through the prayer of the mind in the heart, we will be able to touch the heart of another. Is it clear now why we have no success in preaching? And is it clear that the property of others and of the Church should be used to spread the word, not for personal enjoyment? Christ did not need a boat to make it easier for Him to preach, but to “catch” Simon and the other apostles.
Today, “fishers of men” are a rarity, but they still exist. The grace of God brings many more of those who seek God in the Church and to the clergy of the Church, than, they (the clergy) that are “fishers of men.” Having a different opinion of themselves is a delusion.
Most Holy Theotokos, save us!
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
(23.10.2021 16:16)
