Messages 2002

The miraculous catch of fish.

March 29th, 2002

Received by H.

Cuenca, Ecuador.

My dear H___:

One morning, just as the first sunbeams were visible, we returned from our nightly fishing. I say we, that is to say, practically all the disciples, but without the Master, because he had not accompanied us. We were in two boats, that of Peter and Andrew, and another boat of Zebedee. It had been a calm night, too calm. We had only been able to catch a few fish. We were tired, or perhaps overtired, and we were sleepy and ill-humored, especially Peter.

When we came to the shore, we beached the boats and began to clean our nets. Concentrating on this work, and almost dozing off, we hardly realized that people were approaching to buy fish, but there was not much for us to sell.

And then Jesus came, full of energy and with a radiant face after a refreshing sleep. When people saw him, they immediately urged him: “Master, tell us of the Kingdom of Heaven.” And Jesus did so. As more people arrived to listen to his words, because in the other boats, too, there was not much to buy, they pushed Jesus more and more towards the waters edge, because all wanted to be near him, until Jesus finally laughed and called to Peter:

“Simon, my friend, do me the favor of pushing your boat into the water. Then we’ll set out a little off the shore, so that I can speak in peace. People are almost throwing me into the water.”

Simon grudgingly, grunting something incomprehensible, gesticulated to us to help him, and we began to push the boat into the water. Finally, Jesus got in, and at a distance of a few yards from the shore, he continued his sermon. It was an impressive speech, I am sure, but Peter showed little interest yawning obviously. Completing his discourse, Jesus said:

“Dogs engender dogs, and blood engenders blood. But Love engenders life. How much does a mother love her child, and she gives it all her love. And when she has another child, she does not divide her love, giving one half of it to the first one, and another half to the second one. No, brothers, love grows, it multiplies, and is not divided. And so it is also with our Father in Heaven. He has infinite Love for us, for all of us. He is like a Fountain radiating the Water of Life, a Source whereof we may drink until our thirst is quenched, and Its flow never lessens.

Drink from His Water, and live through It.”

Then he said goodbye to the people and turned to Peter:

“Simon,” he said to him, “I want you to call James and John to get into their boat and join us, and then we’ll row out there into the lake, where the water is deeper.”

Peter looked at him full of surprise, responding reluctantly: “What for? We have been out there all night and have caught nothing. And even the children know that it is useless trying to fish by day.”

Andrew cast him a reproachful glance, as if saying: “Shut up, old grumbler, and obey!” “Ok, ok,” Peter gave in. “Let’s go.”

He called over to the Zebedee brothers to join them on their boat, and off we went.

Luke relates in his Gospel:

One day the people were crowding closely round Jesus to hear God’s message, as he stood on the shore of Lake Gennesaret

Jesus noticed two boats drawn up on the beach, for the fishermen had left them there while they were cleaning their nets.

He went aboard one of the boats, which belonged to Simon, and asked him to push out a little from the shore. Then he sat down and continued his teaching of the crowds from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Push out now into deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”

Simon replied, “Master! We’ve worked all night and never caught a thing, but if you say so, I’ll let the nets down.”

And when they had done this, they caught an enormous shoal of fish — so big that the nets began to tear.

So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both the boats to sinking point.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Keep away from me, Sir, for I’m only a sinful man!”

For he and his companions (including Zebedee’s sons, James and John, Simon’s partners) were staggered at the haul of fish they had made.

Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid, Simon. From now on your catch will be men.”

So they brought the boats ashore, left everything and followed him.

It is true that the story has been quite embellished. There is nothing said of Peter’s reluctance. However, it is true that Peter was astonished, and even more, awed. He had seen many things that Jesus had performed, even when he resuscitated Thaddeus in Naym, but now, when he was dealing with a simple fish “haul,” although so abundant as it had never been before in his life, he witnessed a miracle of daily life. He was an expert concerning the lake. He knew that one could not fish successfully by day, and he knew that the deep water in the middle of the lake was not the appropriate place to fish, and now he faced a miracle, whose extent he could grasp in its entirety. Yes, Peter, Andrew, and the other professional fishermen were more impressed than I was, because I only understood that it was an extraordinary haul of fish, but I was not able to grasp its true scope.

This was the reason why Peter felt awe in front of Jesus, and this is why he pronounced the words: “Mari, Sir, move away from me, because I am a sinful man.”

Jesus wrote through Dr. Samuels:

Furthermore I did tell my disciples at the lake of Gennesaret to lower their nets in a certain place to be able to make a great haul of fish, which they did, and this took place as a result of my psychic knowledge that a great school of fish had just reached that area of the lake and my disciples, especially Peter Simon, were especially overcome. (Revelation 18: The first miracle and other absurdities)

However, in order to conclude this episode, the final verse reads: So they brought the boats ashore, left everything and followed him [Jesus]. And this is not true. Now we really had much work, washing and gutting the fish before the sun would rise even higher, and selling our haul.

Meanwhile, Jesus went away to the south, to a lonely place, near what today is the village of Tabgha, where he used to spend days absorbed in meditation.

Now, dear brother, a little warning. My last few messages may cause the impression that Jesus traveled through the country, performing miracles and healings everywhere. But this is not correct. Of course, whenever there was the opportunity, Jesus helped sick people, but his true work was that of announcing the Kingdom of Heaven: the availability of God’s Love, and soul transformation. And to explain these very difficult contents, he made use of parables.

It is time to finish. I leave you now with my blessings.

Your brother in Christ,

Judas