deep water

Renée Antrosio – September 23, 2025 3 Comments

The title of Thursday’s Catholic devotion- “Need a Bigger Boat?”- caught my attention. The crowd pressed around Jesus to hear God’s word, so he got in Simon’s boat and asked him to row out a little bit so he could sit down and teach. (Turned out that reading Luke 5 was “Lucky dipping”….)

Sometimes Jesus invites us to follow. Other times friends urge us to come and see. And sometimes Jesus just steps into our boat and asks us to take him with us a little way. It seems like a small request. “No problem, Jesus. It would be an honor, really, for you to sit in my boat.”

But when Jesus finished teaching, he threw out a much bigger ask:

“Row out farther, into the deep water, and drop your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4b (CEB)

Simon was tired. He had already cleaned his nets after a night of throwing them out to sea and hauling them back in. Again and again. Emptyhanded. All night long. He was doing it right, fishing at night. He and his partners had skills. Was it embarrassing to admit you had caught no fish? Was it frustrating to be told to try harder, do more, give it another go? Do you know the feeling?

Simon replied, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and caught nothing. But because you say so, I’ll drop the nets.” Luke 5:5 (CEB)

There is a vulnerability to obeying Jesus. Everyone was watching. It looks stupid to go out again after a fruitless night when you’ve just finished cleaning your nets. I hear myself saying, “But Lord, we already invited them and they didn’t want to come. We’ve been doing all the stuff already. We worked hard, and there’s not much to show for it. But because you say so, I guess I am willing to look silly. Desperate. Embarrass myself.” I am reminded of the lyrics to Oceans, sung by our own Asha McMullen. 

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep my faith will stand

This time I hear Jesus encouraging us to go farther, into the deep water. What are the depths that Jesus calls us to, where we can’t see into the darkness? Are we willing to be vulnerable, to go out into the deep waters, beyond what we thought we knew, against our knowledge or instincts? As we ask for more of the Holy Spirit in our midst, I feel us rowing out into deeper waters, taking risks, willing to put ourselves out there. 

So they dropped the nets and their catch was so huge that their nets were splitting. They signaled for their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They filled both boats so full that they were about to sink. Luke 5:6-7 (CEB)

The image of partnership, of friends coming alongside to help, shines brightly here. I think of our different partners in ministry, folks we have labored with over the years. The anticipation of sharing the blessing of full boats, of being “overcome with amazement” (Lk 5:9) encourages me. Because Simon was willing to be vulnerable, to take a risk, to obey- many people who had labored with him were blessed. 

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on, you will be fishing for people.” Luke 5:10b

Jesus tells us again not to fear. Act out of love, not out of fear. Sometimes Jesus asks us to do a little more work. Extend ourselves again. Go a little farther. And Jesus invites us out into the deep, into the unknown. But Jesus is in the boat with us. We are not alone. So that even if we look foolish, we can be willing to obey. 

When I listened to Thursday’s Pray as You Go, I was surprised to find a totally different passage from Luke. Turns out, my reading was “off” by a week, a strange confirmation that this was God’s message for me that day- what a friend calls “Lucky Dipping”. Perhaps Jesus is speaking to you as well, on his timetable, not ours.

May we be willing to go out a little farther, into deep water. May we hear Jesus’ invitation and say yes. May we choose love, not fear. -Renée