Luke 5: 1-11

Once 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 signalled to 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; 1and 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.

(New Revised Standard Version)

The following is one poet's comment on this passage:

THE DEEP

BIRTH AND CONCEPTION ARE MESSY THINGS
THEY PUT YOU IN AN AWKWARD POSITION

SUITABLE BEGINNINGS FOR A PEOPLE
WHOSE LIVES ARE OFTEN MARKED
BY THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

SO MUCH OF LIFE IS MESSY
WE GET DIRTY FROM WORK OR PLAY

WE LOSE CONTROL OF OUR BODIES
AS WE GET OLD

WE HAD NO CONTROL
WHEN WE WERE YOUNG

WE WEEP AT HIGH EMOTION
OR IN SADNESS

EVEN EATING LEAVES A NAPKIN DIRTY

IT'S WHERE WE ARE
AND WHO WE ARE

SO JESUS
THE SYNAGOGUE
CLOSED TO HIM
SAT IN A BOAT
AND TOLD HOMEY STORIES
THE TEACHER
SAT IN A BOAT
REDOLENT
OF CATCHES PAST

OF SWEAT FROM WORKMAN NOW

THEY'D LABORED ALL NIGHTAND CAUGHT NOTHING

THEN HE SAID
PUSH OUT INTO THE DEEP

PUSH OUT
AND GO WHERE YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE

MASTER
WE HAVE LABORED ALL NIGHT
AND CAUGHT NOTHING
BUT AT YOUR WORD
WE WILL DO IT

SO THEY WENT TO THE DEEP
WHERE DEMONS DWELL
LETTING GO
LETTING GOD

AND CAUGHT FISH
THAT MADE THEM FORGET THEY WERE TIRED

AND CAUGHT FISH
BEYOND THEIR EXPERIENCE

AND CAUGHT MEN UP IN A DREAM
THAT FISH WOULD ALWAYS BE PLENTIFUL
AND THE DEEP WOULD HAVE NO DEMONS
THEY COULDN'T FACE

FRANK A VOLLMER