Joke : When her late husband’s will was read, a widow learned he had left the bulk of his fortune to another woman. Enraged, she rushed to change the inscription on her husband’s tombstone. “Sorry, lady,” said the stonecutter. “I inscribed ‘Rest in Peace’ on your order. I cannot change it now.” “Very well,” the widow said grimly. “Just add ‘Until we meet again.”

Fish are funny creatures. They are always so busy and yet so pointlessly busy. They are always on the move, they flit about, dashing and darting hither and thither, full of agitation and enthusiasm. How easily they are alarmed by every ripple, every shadow on the water. They are always on the alert, so ready for the unexpected, and yet so easily duped. They are so quick to react to the first rumors of danger and yet so easily caught.

There is a certain “fishiness” about us too. Like the fish, we are immersed in a sea of troubles and distractions, easily alarmed and agitated by every ripple of excitement, every shadow of a doubt that crosses our paths. Our daily life is so dangerous with temptations, and we allow ourselves to be hooked on so many creature comforts such as drugs, alcohol, sex, and many more. Today's miracle is also the miracle of our lives. The question is how does Jesus, through his church, throw his net over us to catch us, to turn us away from sins and temptations? Brothers and sisters, it is not only a net of grace and love, but he specifically instructs his disciples and the Church to do what he commands them to do. Jesus said to his disciples, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” In catching people for God’s vineyard, it is not only about spreading the Good News, reading and understanding the Scriptures but above all is to doing what Jesus instructs us to do. Jesus commands his disciples to cast the net, not to sit the net. To do the work, and not mumble the words. He gave a straight direction to cast the net over the right side of the boat, and not to the left side. To bring love, mercy, and forgiveness to others, rather than to condemn, criticize, and harbor hatred.

In today’s first reading, Peter and the apostles carried out their faith beautifully when they are in front of the elders and the Sanhedrin profess without fear saying, “We must obey God rather than men.” Why did Peter and other apostles obey God, specifically the Lord Jesus? Because they believed that He is God that was described in today’s second reading, taken from the book of revelation when John said that he heard “The voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They cried out in a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing.’” Who is the Lamb if it isn’t the Lord Jesus? It is love that God sent his only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to come to us, to show us the way to the Father, and to help us turn away from sins and temptations with his grace and love.

Facing sins, temptations, and all kinds of attraction in this earthly life, have we allowed ourselves to be caught by the net of God’s grace? Just as Peter professed himself that he loved the Lord, have we allowed ourselves, even in our weakness and sin, to declare our loyalty to God that we love him above all else? Saint Augustine, in his Confessions, wrote: "Late have I loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new. Late have I loved you! ...You shone your Self upon me to drive away my blindness. You breathed your fragrance upon me... and in astonishment, I drew my breath...now I pant for you! I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst for you. You touched me! – and I burn to live within your peace" (Confessions 10:27). Saint Paul beautifully said in his letter to the Romans that nothing but our sinful pride and stubborn willfulness can keep us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). God's love is a free and unmerited gift, far beyond what we deserve or could hope to obtain through our means. We can never outmatch God’s love. He loved us first and our love for him is a response to his exceeding graciousness and mercy. The question for us is: Do we allow God's love to purify our hearts and transform our lives? The decision is yours.