Going to the deep

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THAT’S what Christ told the apostles who at first were hesitant to do so. But they obeyed eventually and, lo and behold, contrary to what they expected, they caught so much fish that they had a hard time hauling them to the shore. That’s when Christ told them to be fishers of men. (cfr. Lk 5,1-11)

This gospel clearly tells us that we have to be trusting of God’s will and ways, no matter how hard and impossible they may appear to us, and that we have to develop an apostolic concern that is universal in scope, unafraid of the sacrifices involved.

We need to learn to trust God, and in his word and in his ways, no matter how they seem unreasonable, impractical or impossible. For this, we have to go beyond our own understanding and estimation of things, and open our mind and heart to the light of our faith and love for God and for others.

While it’s true that we have to use all our human faculties in dealing with our earthly affairs and concerns, that is, our intelligence and will, our sciences and arts, our common sense and cultural and social wisdom, we should not forget that all these would have no real value unless they are animated, engaged, and guided by our faith in God.

God knows everything. He is omnipotent. He actually intervenes in our lives in the most intimate way since he is the one who ultimately supports our existence and who governs it wisely with his providence.

The best news is that he is all too eager to share his power and wisdom with us, since we are his image and likeness, and as his children, we are expected to share his very own life and to act in his name here in this life.

We need to adjust the way we think to accommodate this wonderful truth of faith about ourselves in relation to God and to others. Our problem is that we tend to be restrictive in our view of things, omitting the inputs of faith and thus opening ourselves to have a very narrow and shallow view of things, prone to uncertainties, doubts and fears.

If we understand this point, then we have to realize that like Christ we ought to have a universal concern for the apostolate, for helping in the task of leading others to God.

Let us always keep in mind that mandate Christ gave to his apostles before he ascended into heaven. “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Mt 28,19-20)

It’s a mandate that is actually meant for all the disciples of Christ and believers of God. We have to have a universal sense of apostolate. As one saint would put it, of 100 souls we should be interested in 100.

We have to avoid falling into a parochial or tribal attitude toward our apostolic duty. While it’s true that because of our personal conditions, each one of us will have a particular niche in his apostolic activity, everyone should try to have a universal apostolic concern.

We have to be ready to get interested in everyone apostolically. We should be interested both in the rich and the poor, those in the mainstream of society as well as those in the peripheries.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com