Put out into the deep
The picture was part of a little pile on the dining room table, left for me by my brother, at our ancestral family home. It was part of the clearing out of the home to make way for tenants. It is an old picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
There is a long standing local Catholic tradition that an integral part of a newly married couple moving into their new home, is to place a picture or statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus above a door frame, ideally the front door frame, so that it can be viewed by everyone.
As I looked at the picture, I remembered staring at it as a very young child, above the door of the small one bedroom section, of a larger home of my mother’s family. Mummy and Daddy had started off their marriage in these humble settings and the picture took pride of place. It must have been one of the first images I looked on at, as an infant.
When I read the line in this week’s Gospel Luke 5: 1-11 ‘He (Jesus) said to Simon, “Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch”, I thought of how far into the deep I have travelled since first gazing upon that picture. I imagined Jesus must have been looking down at me and speaking those words, even as I learned to walk.
In the Gospel narrative, there are two stages of Jesus’ instructions - first, put out a little from the shore and then later, put out into the deep. I realized that putting out into the deep is a lifelong journey. Each of us journeys out in our barque, some further than others, and let down our nets, before we make our way back to shore.
As I reflected on my role as a deacon pastor and parish administrator, I thanked the Sacred Heart of Jesus for being at the helm of my barque. My nets have not been full to bursting, but then again, I have not stopped going out into deeper waters. I have placed the picture on the wall of my home communication studio (I refuse to call it a home office). It is part of where I put out my nets each day.
Friend, I urge you to put out into deeper waters. Ask the Sacred Heart of Jesus to be at your helm. You never know where He will lead you, but you can be assured He will fill your nets to bursting!!!
I thank one of the patrons of this newsletter for commissioning me to help market the small housing community he is developing. The income, I will earn, would be used to grow this online ministry. Please visit the development at the link below and share with interested parties.