The term, Fishers of Men, was given by Jesus to Peter and his fellow fishermen, James and John, for abandoning their nets for a new kind of fishing: to spread the good news of the gospel ( Luke 5 : 1-11 ). It is a term that can be applied to anyone who answers the call to follow Christ and spread the good news.

Responding to the call of Christ is difficult. It was difficult for the early disciples back in the day just as it is difficult for us today. We realize, like the disciples, that we face great obstacles in the world, and that we may be led where we do not want to go. Like them we stumble like children who have much to learn. The stories of these early disciples inspire us with confidence because we realize, from their experiences, that God is always there, in good times and in bad, urging us along, teaching us, seeking us out and sometimes catching us out.

Experience, they say, is the best teacher. It is only natural that we turn to those whose experiences can instruct and inspire us. The disciples made this awesome journey before us. We look to them for advice and direction. They have fought the good fight and prevailed by the grace of God. St. Paul called himself “the least of the apostles” because “he persecuted the church of God”( 1 Corinthians 15 : 1-11 ). Yet, Christ called this most unlikely of men to spread the good news of the gospel, far and wide, to the gentiles.

The business of every Christian is to follow Christ. That’s what the first disciples did, that’s what set them apart in their day. They were known as “the people of the way” by following Christ who is the Way. By doing this they were true disciples. To be a Christian is to adopt a way of life rather than an ideology. And this way of life is rooted in following the example of Jesus. It is not to be found in disinterested recriminations, arbitrary abuses of power or disputations that divide rather than unite.

The message of Jesus is a pastoral message for it is about following Jesus’s example in your life. It is especially important today to focus on this personal call to follow Christ when the church, as an institution, is coming under constant criticism for failing to live up to its own calling to promote Christ. The best way to counteract bad example is by good example. And, following the example of Christ is the foundational principle of Christianity. This comes first, and everything else, including the exercise of authority, is subservient to this calling.

Let everyone around you know how much you love the Lord by what you do rather than by what you say. Be fishers of men by attracting others by what you do because your business as a Christian is to follow Christ.

Like the first disciples, we are called to keep our hearts open to the ways the Lord is leading us. When our hearts tend to crust over, we are reminded in the scriptures to cast our bread upon the waters, to spread his word, and to do as Jesus says: “Love One Another As I Have Loved You” ( John 13 : 34 ).

This is the new commandment Jesus gave us.

—Fr. Hugh Duffy