When I was a kid I had mixed emotions about “going fishing” with the family. My dad and mom loved to fish. Dad was a “fly-fisherman” and so he was always actively engaged with that type of fishing and didn’t give much time to just “being” or teaching us kids how. My mom was that person. She always sat, and would patiently wait for the fish to bite. The concoctions she made by hand which she called her live bait were enough to make one gag. But it worked.
My grandpa “Doc” was the true fisherman. Since he was retired most of my childhood, he would often go and take one or two of us grandkids with him. He made it fun and worth your while. My cousin Barb was the best of us all. They were an unbelievable team. She could do it all with Grandpa Doc. Bait a hook, catch a fish, de-hook the caught fish, she could even filet them — I was so jealous, but not enough to learn more. My joy was when Grandpa yelled for me to get the net, drop it in the water, and scoop up the fish he caught — that was the coolest. I’d love to have another time to share that with him.
Since childhood I have never once went fishing. It’s not my thing.
Why did Jesus go and connect with these guys who were experts at fishing? I don’t think it was really connected to “eating fish on Fridays in Lent.” I know and you know it was all about what he told them, “From now on you will be catching men.”
Sherry Weddell in her book, Forming Intentional Disciples talks about “dropping your nets” as a means to evangelize the Good News. For the past four weeks I have traveled to the seven deaneries and met with over 300 of the 512 parish representatives. Our Curia staff accompanied me and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki to continue our formation of “intentional disciples.”
Our continuing formation led us to talk about “the five thresholds of conversion” needed to become an “intentional disciple,” a fully engaged follower of Jesus. The five thresholds of conversion are: 1. trust, 2. curiosity, 3. openness, 4. seeking, and 5. intentional discipleship. All of us go thru a journey. If we grow and enter into this conversion we will be come true “intentional disciples” of Jesus.
As a true intentional disciple I am called to be this “agent of evangelism” who introduces and leads others to a closer walk (relationship) with Jesus. We do a great ministry of “catechizing,” but fall short of this deeper encounter.
At our session we talked about “telling the great story of Jesus” as Weddell calls us to proclaim. We call this encounter the “kergmatic experience.” Catholics are not always so able and willing to proclaim this bold Gospel of Jesus Christ. She challenges us to “break the silence” and not be afraid to “drop the name.” Let our lips speak to others about the Jesus we have encountered. I love, and I am eager, every day to be his chosen disciple.
Our deanery sessions went pretty well. We’ve only just begun. We are though, on our way. We encouraged these disciples to return with their pastor and parish staffs to further the journey. It’s a journey of discerning these five thresholds to bring this conversion to a reality — which allows true discipleship to become our way of life, in each person, each parish, each deanery — in all 145,000 members of our diocesan local church family in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. It is exciting.
I can still remember “dropping the nets” for Grandpa Doc. Each time was so great, just to be a part of the success of catching fish. Personally I have never caught one fish myself. I don’t think much about this statistic but I can say that I back “dropping my nets.” This month I could see many who heard Christ’s invitation to help him catch more than the carp, catfish, bass and other fish that came up in the net. We are excited, and growing in our desire to “come and follow” Jesus more intensely and intentionally.
As a child I went to fish with my folks at Gillespie lakes, Coffeen Lake, Carlinville lakes, even Lake Shelbyville. This week I will be in Hillsboro and Litchfield. Catching fish at their lakes, no — but I hope to catch a few Catholic Hilltoppers, and a few Catholic Purple Panthers. I will be at their weekend liturgies and offer a three-day mission. I will “tell the story,” “drop his name,” and “drop his net.” Finally I’m a fisherman and it feels so good making a catch.
Anyone want to go fishing? Call me. Anyone want to be caught, “hooked line and sinker”? Call me. Think about what will happen if we use Jesus as the bait, and tell the story — just like the Disciples he told to cast the net onto the other side of the boat. Wait until we see this catch. Amazing!