jim henson

In today's Gospel from Luke, Jesus tells the Simon (Peter) to "put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch."  Simon is skeptical and doesn't think this will work. Jesus tells Simon to trust in Him.

Similarly, Christ calls us all out to the "deep water" of a dependent and disciplined faith life.  We human beings often don't see a way out of our problems.  Very often, the Church (or more accurately, the people in it) seem only to exacerbate our difficulties. 

But, as I heard in a sermon yesterday, those who are not (yet) saints are saint makers.  In other words, those who challenge us the most have perhaps been put there by God to hone and polish our faith through patience and constant prayer.

Jesus is calling us to find a prayer practice that fits our station in life and practice the Benedictine virtue of stability in sticking with it.  Row out to the deep water of life.  Depend not on ourselves, money, or even each other. 

Depend solely on God.