Ramblings of a Redneck Priest

I don’t know if you like to do it, but my wife loves to fish. Her idea of heaven is sitting by a creek or pond and wetting a hook. I don’t have the patience for it. I once brought her a fly rod. Now some people think this is a great sport, but I don’t get it. Why do I want to stand in cold water and try my best to land a fake fly in front of a fish in such a way that the fish will bite it? Are you kidding? Deep-sea fishing is more my style: throw it in, wham, and pull it out. Then repeat and repeat for hours.

Doesn’t the word "evangelism" make you nervous? I think of flashy big hair preachers with make-up laden wives pleading for souls. So, when Jesus says we are to be fishers of men, it makes me a bit nervous. I think I have to be a theologian, or a flashy preacher, or a miracle worker, or at least good looking! I mean if I have to fish for men like fly fisherman do for trout, then there’s no way that I’m even going to attempt it. I’m just not smart enough to do it on my own. So, I think I’ll let an expert fish for men.

Well then, there’s good news for us reluctant fishers of men. The Lord doesn’t plan to give us a fly rod to fish with. In fact, he’s going to hand us a net and a big one at that. When Jesus spoke to the Peter and Andrew, they were casting nets. Now that’s how to fish. Through it in and drag it out and count the fish! Of course, Peter and Andrew weren’t the only ones in the boat. It takes a good crew to get the net out and to haul it back in.

So, relax. You don’t have to be a great talker, a deep thinker, a scholar, or even a skilled fisher of men. Oh, it’s good if you have these skills, but all that’s required is that you are in the boat and pull with the rest of the sailors. Don’t expect the priest and his family to be the only ones at the net. It takes the entire church with each one doing his part to make a successful run. How do we make the great Gospel net? We join hand to hand in love and in service. We live the Christian life together and strive to realize the Life of Christ in all its fullness. We drag the net, and the Lord brings the fish to the net.

So, not much skill is needed, but faith, courage and a strong back. I guess that’s why the Lord chose fisherman because they have strong backs (and idiots like me). They know how to work through plenty and want. They never give up because perhaps today, there will be an abundance of fish. You never know until you cast the net.  We should all find our place on the boat because there’s nothing harder than to look back for your fishing companions, only to find that some have gone below to take a nap.

"I will make you fishers of men", the Lord said. We don’t have to be skilled fly fishermen. Just grab the net, my friends, and pull. Pulling with us are Patriarchs, Archbishops, bishops, clergy, monastics and many loving souls.  Once we were caught in the great Orthodox net and so the fish now become fishermen. .

May God helps us to work together to cast the net, to be patient as the net does its work, and then to pull with all of our might. If we don’t catch anything today, then tomorrow is just another day to fish.