Today's readings invite us to reflect on the nature of our call.  Here are some of my thoughts.  Simon ran a business; he was a fisherman in partnership with Zebedee's sons, James and John.  They had just finished up for the day and were washing out their nets when the young rabbi from Nazareth got into one of the boats.  The Lord asked Simon to pull out a bit from the shore so that he could teach the crowd.  Simon must have been tired but he gave the poor rabbi the benefit of the doubt.  Taking Jesus out from the shore to teach, he continued to clean the nets.  Simon wasn't all that interested in religion. 

            When Jesus finished speaking he wanted to repay the fisherman for the use of his boat, but Jesus had no money.  Instead, he instructed Simon to put out into deep water for a catch.  Now Simon was a patient man, but he was getting more than a little tired.  This young rabbi might know a great deal about the laws of God but he apparently didn't know much about fishing.  It was the wrong time of day, probably the wrong part of the lake to set the nets for a catch.  Just to humor the man Simon said, "If you say so Master, I will lower the nets."

            Simon had a lot to learn about God's generosity.  That day his whole life changed.  They caught so many fish that the boat nearly sank and the Zebedee boys had to come out and help with the catch.  It was a miracle, pure and simple.  Simon knew it.  The Zebedees knew it.  Jesus knew it.  Isn't it amazing that the day of Simon's greatest catch was the day he left fishing in order to become a fisher of men?

            When Simon first recognized the miracle, he was seized with fear.  This is often the first reaction of someone who has been called by the Lord.  You wonder, "Did I just imagine this? Can it really be God?  What does God want with me, I'm a sinner?"  The first part of every call is the recognition that we are sinners.  The second part is the acceptance of God's forgiveness.  Even though we are sinners, God loves us anyway. Paul recognized this when he turned from persecutor to preacher of the faith. 

            Being called by God changes everything!  We are no longer in this experience of life alone.  We belong to the Lord.  To accept the call to follow Jesus means that we see the whole world in an entirely new way.  Perhaps for the first time we recognize that everything - our life, our world, and all the people in it - are a gift from God.  What return can we make to the Lord for all that he has done for us?  With joy we can answer his call to go out and catch others for Christ.