There is a reason why fishermen do not cast their nets from the shore. The shallow waters are comfortable, familiar, and safe, but they do not hold the abundance they seek. The deeper waters, though unpredictable and at times treacherous, are where the true catch is found. When Jesus tells Simon Peter to put out into the deep, he is not only speaking about fishing. He is calling Peter—and us—to a new way of life, one that requires courage, trust, and a willingness to go beyond what is comfortable.
It is easy to remain in the shallow waters of faith, where our beliefs are unchallenged, where we speak of Jesus among those who already follow him, and where our ministry is confined to the walls of the church. There is comfort in preaching to those who already believe, in serving those who already share our values. But Christ does not call us to stay along the shore. He calls us to go out—to risk—to put out into deep water.
The deep waters represent the unknown, the places where faith must be more than words. These are the workplaces where colleagues have no interest in God, the family gatherings where belief is met with skepticism, the friendships where faith is regarded as outdated. It is tempting to avoid these waters, to remain in the company of those who affirm us. But Jesus reminds us that the great catch is not waiting at the shore. If we want to bring others to him, we must be willing to go where they are.
Notice what happens when Simon Peter obeys. He is exhausted from failure, weary from a long night of effort that yielded nothing. Yet, at the Lord’s command, he lowers his nets again. The result is beyond what he imagined—a catch so great that it nearly breaks the nets. It is a moment of overwhelming grace, not the result of Peter’s skill or effort, but of his trust in Jesus.
How often do we feel that same weariness? How many times have we tried to share our faith, only to be met with indifference? How often have we invited others to mass, to prayer, to a deeper relationship with Christ, only to find our words ignored? It is easy to become discouraged, to believe that the effort is pointless. Yet Jesus calls us to cast our nets again. Ministry is not about immediate success; it is about faithfulness.
And just as the fisherman returns to shore to clean and mend his nets, so too do we return here, to the church, for renewal. This is the place where we rest, where we are strengthened by Christ’s word and the sacraments. But it is not the final destination. We are not called to stay here. We are called to go out again, to cast our nets into the deep, trusting that even in failure, even in exhaustion, the Lord will provide.
Let us not be afraid to leave the shore. Let us go where the catch is, even when it is uncertain, even when it is difficult. For it is in the deep waters that Christ waits for us, ready to transform our efforts into something far greater than we could ever imagine.