The Fifth Sunday After The Epiphany - February 9, 2025

SummaryGrace Community Missioner Ed Carrette reflects on Jesus' call to become "fishers of people" in Luke's Gospel, reminding us that while church attendance has declined post-COVID, our mission remains unchanged. Just as Jesus instructed Simon Peter to cast his nets into deeper waters, we too must venture beyond our comfort zones to engage with our neighbors, show compassion to those in need, and respond like Isaiah who said, "Here I am. Send me" (Isaiah 6:8).THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                            Luke 5:1-11Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets." When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. Artwork: "Fishers of Men" by Victor Bregeda, 1963