There’s a big lake in Palestine. This story happened there. It is recorded in the Blessed Injeel (Luke 5: 1-11)
One day, Hazrat Isa ( ع ) was standing on the shore of Lake Gennesaret. A crowd was pushing to get near to him. They were listening to him. He was speaking God’s message to them.
Hazrat Isa ( ع ) saw two fishing boats at the edge of the lake. The fishermen had left the boats there and they were now washing their nets.
One of the boats belonged to Simon. Hazrat Isa ( ع ) climbed into it. He asked Simon to push it away from the shore. Hazrat Isa ( ع ) sat in the boat and he started to teach the people.
When Hazrat Isa ( ع ) finished teaching, he said to Simon, ‘Now take the boat out into deep water. Then put the nets into the water to catch some fish.’
Simon replied, ‘Teacher, we worked all last night and we did not catch anything. But because you say it, I will put the nets into the water again.’
So they went and they put the nets down into the water. When they did that, they caught many fish. There were so many fish that the nets began to break. So Simon shouted to the other fishermen that worked with him. ‘Come here!’ he said, ‘We need you.’ When they saw that, the men came in their boat. They filled both boats with the fish. There were so many fish that the boats began to go down under the water.
When Simon saw all the fish, he went down on his knees in front of Hazrat Isa ( ع ). ‘Sir,’ he said, ‘I am a bad man. So please go away from me.’
Simon said this because he was very surprised. He was surprised because they had caught so many fish. His friends in the other boat were also very surprised. James and John were very surprised too. They were Zebedee’s sons and they worked with Simon. Hazrat Isa ( ع ) said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid. You have been catching fish. From now on you will catch people!’
After that, they went and they pulled their boats up on the shore. Then they left everything behind and they went with Hazrat Isa ( ع ).
What do you feel and think about this story?
- Is there something you like in the story?
- Or something in it that doesn’t seem right?
- Does this story remind you of the way people sometimes behave?
- Maybe it starts you thinking about God.
- What does this story seem to suggest you do? (I think you know that God will bless you read the teaching of Hazrat Isa ( ع ) and obey and copy him.)