Epiphany 5C (Luke 5:1-11)

The lake of Gennesaret flows between Jesus, Simon, James, and John—and the crowd. One group stands on the shore, while the other is in the boat. Then the scene shifts: Jesus is in one boat, and Simon, James, and John are in another. This geographical movement is more than a narrative detail. It symbolically illustrates how we position ourselves—mentally, physically, and spiritually—in our daily lives, in our interactions with family, friends, and strangers.

So, the question I raise this morning is this: where do we find ourselves? Where do we stand—spiritually and emotionally—each day? I’ll give you the answer upfront: we want to be in the boat with Jesus. But to understand what that means, let’s take a journey: from the crowd on the shore, to the boat with Simon, James, and John, and finally to the boat with Jesus himself.

(A note: my interpretation today is explicitly allegorical, intended to offer practical guidance for our spiritual practice.)

Step 1: The Crowd on the Shore

We begin where most of us find ourselves: among the crowd. We listen to the teachings of Jesus, perhaps nodding in agreement. His words sound moral, even inspiring—but they don’t seem to take hold. They wash over us without transforming our hearts.

Why? Perhaps we don’t fully understand his message. Or perhaps we lack the desire to be changed by it. And so, we remain on the shore—watching from a distance, disconnected from the deeper, transformative call of discipleship.

Step 2: The Boat of Simon, James, and John

When life doesn’t feel satisfying on the shore, we step into the boat of Simon, James, and John. Here, life is familiar. It’s a mix of moments—dissatisfaction, sadness, and disappointment—interspersed with bits of joy, happiness, and surprise.

But in this particular moment, there are no fish. Their nets come up empty. It’s a total letdown. We’ve been here before, haven’t we? This boat represents our own repetitive story—the same cycle of striving, failing, and hoping for something more.

From this boat, we notice Jesus. He’s in the other boat. At first glance, he seems distant, even detached. Is he indifferent to the harsh unpredictability of life? We might think, with a tinge of sarcasm, “Is everything so heavenly to him?”

But little do we realize that his life is as earthly as ours—marked by suffering, even death. He is no stranger to life’s burdens. Yet there he sits, calm and steady, distanced from the restless crowd and from the weary hearts of Simon, James, and John.

Step 3: The Boat of Jesus

And then Jesus speaks. Gently, he tells Simon:
“Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

Friends in Christ, this invitation is for us as well. But don’t get caught up in the image of overflowing nets and abundant fish. Instead, hear his call to put out into the deep waters of your own heart.

Let down your nets—not for fish, but for breath.

The Deep Waters of Silence

As we sit in silence, breathing deeply, we find ourselves moving into the boat of Jesus. We begin to notice a quiet transformation within. The restless striving of the other boat falls away. In the stillness, we come to see life with clarity.

And this is the transformation Jesus speaks of when he says:
“From now on, you will be catching people.”

This isn’t a command to change careers or take on a dramatic new mission. Rather, it’s about a change of perspective. As we go deeper into silence with Jesus, we see what matters most.

Fish are for life.
Materials are for people.

Our culture worships material gain—fishing for the sake of fishing, acquiring for the sake of acquiring. But in the boat with Jesus, we see that these things are never an end in themselves. We fish for the sake of others. We live for the sake of others.

This transformation doesn’t happen in our heads. It happens slowly, quietly, as we sit in Jesus’ boat—letting our hearts be shaped by his presence.

So today, I invite you: put out into the deep waters of your own heart. Let down your nets of breath. Sit with Jesus in the quietude of his boat.

Here and now, in this stillness, you are being changed.

Let’s get in the boat with Jesus. Come, sit with Jesus.