Fishers of People

January 26, 2008
3rd Sunday After Epiphany, Year A

Readings:
Isaiah 9:1-4
Psalm 27:1,5-13
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Matthew 4:12-23

Reflection:
Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.

I used to think that I knew what this command meant. I thought it had something to do with missionaries and evangelism. I thought that Jesus was telling Simon Peter and Andrew that if they followed Jesus, they would bring others to the Christ, they would save souls from eternal damnation by telling them about the Savior. I no longer think that this is what is meant, and I'll tell you how this happened.

The City of Seattle has an art collection that is hung throughout City offices and in the public areas of City buildings. In the third floor lobby of Seattle Municipal Tower there is a gallery where the collection of paintings rotates every few months. I worked in that building once and was passing through this gallery space when a particular painting caught my eye. It was done in beautiful blues and greens. It was a scene of water and a small boat. As I approached it to get a better look I saw that there was something in the water. What was it? It was dead bodies floating in the water! The men in the boat were pulling them into it. The tranquil colors suddenly became menacing and the pastoral picture deeply disturbing.

Next to each picture was the name of the artist (which I’ve forgotten – sorry) and a brief artist’s statement about the work. The artist explained that this picture was painted after the Balkan "ethnic cleansing" and at the time of the Rwandan genocide. He went on to state, In a world of constant shipwrecks, all men are fishers of men.

Just as I was shocked by the realization that the beautiful, pastoral scene was actually one of mass slaughter, so the use of this biblical reference also shocked me. I had to reexamine the meaning of the phrase fish for people.

I now believe that fishing for people means rescuing them from the sea. Physically saving lives not metaphorically saving souls. I believe that it was this work that Jesus was calling the disciples to. He intended that they help turn the world upside down, that they dismantle systems of privilege that kept the majority of the population near death while the few lived in luxury.

We still live in a world of constant shipwrecks. There are people who are starving, children who die needlessly from lack of clean water or a malaria preventing net to sleep under. There are teenagers shooting teenagers on our streets. There are homeless and mentally ill people that we pass on the streets every day. I agree with the artist that in this world we must all be fishers of men. This is not a special Christian call but a human one. Jesus, help me to have the courage to accept this call and to act on it.

I'd welcome your comments on this.

Carol

I see

This is my first blog. Please excuse the fact that the nonsense test-blog that Karen used to show me how to do this has burdened the COTA blog with a nonsense entry. It is my intention to try to do a blog a week that is a brief reflection on the scriptures appointed for the following Saturday. I know this sounds rather weak, but I hope that you find some of my meandering thoughts provoke some of your own thoughts and that you'd respond to me. The optimum outcome would be to get a dialogue going.

Scripture appointed for the
Second Sunday After Epiphany
Year A
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-12
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1:29-42

Reflections

Words are my medium. I choose them carefully. I try to clearly communicate my ideas and express even my inmost thoughts. I write poetry and prayers. But there are some things you just can't explain in words. You have to see to believe.


John the Baptist says that he "saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove." He goes on to state "I myself have seen ... that this is the Son of God." [I have come to regard John the Baptist as primarily one who "sees" the truth about Jesus. So I've written a poem that I'll include at the end of this blog.] And when John's disciples want to know more about Jesus, Jesus himself tells them to "Come and see."


When I try to explain to friends what happens at COTA, I know that I don't even come close to capturing reality. It frequently sounds pretty lame. I talk about the music. I talk about eating bread and drinking wine. I talk about feeds and conversations. I talk about all the really special people I've met. But I don't really capture the essence of what is going on.
Perhaps this is because what happens is different for each of us here. Perhaps it is because God shows us each what we need to see in quiet prayers, in the words of a friend, or in the glorious music. I find myself saying over and over again, "You just have to come and see what this is like. This is different. This is good." But most people I say that to don't come. Some do. I wish I could say it better. But really, they do just have to "Come and see."



The Eyes of John the Baptizer

I see.

Even in the womb I saw
the God-child yet unborn
and lept with joy
at promises fulfilled.

I see the black hearts
behind the sumptuous robes
so I proclaim to power,
"Turn! Repent!"

In the poor and dispossessed
I see the kingdom already theirs.
In penitents I see forgiveness,
redemption, and new life.

And once, when baptizing,
I saw the heavens open
and the Spirit-dove descend
upon the God-man.

"Listen to him!"

They say I am the Voice
crying in the wilderness,
but, in truth, I am the Eyes
that see the worlds colliding,
the end approaching,
the victory.

I see!

carol's test post

tedst post from carol.