Epiphany Reflection – Deep Waters
This past Sunday I attended church in Cartagena – a town about 2 hours from Barranquilla, and one of the pearls of Colombia. In many ways it reminds me of Charleston, SC. They are both towns of great contrasts – with beautifully kept old city sections geared toward tourists and historic quaintness, and dilapidated areas filled with such dense poverty as to take your breath away. They are both port cities, and as such were slave trading cities, with Cartagena serving as the entry point for virtually all slaves brought to Spanish South America. Both continue to have a large African-descended population which is also over-represented in poorer neighborhoods.
At church on Sunday, the preacher reflected with us on the opening passage in Luke 5 in which Jesus calls his first disciples and tells them they will from here forward be “catching people”. As he pointed out, this text is used most often as a rallying cry for evangelism – to go and spread the good news among all the nations, as it were. His take, however, was different and it has kept me thinking ever since.
"The Miraculous Catch" from www.visiblekingdom.com
Unlike Matthew and Mark (which tell this same story differently), in Luke 5:1-11 the call of the disciples happens as Jesus takes Simon, James, and John out into the deep water (in Spanish, “lago adentro”). The pastor yesterday argued that this text is less a call to go knock on doors and bring folks in the doors as it is a call to really examine your own faith and see what kind of life you are living. After all, the text says Jesus was beside the lake with a whole crowd of people, but he leaves them behind to go out with just a couple of people we come to call his disciples. If this is a “bring in the masses” evangelization strategy, you have to admit it is a kind of weird one.
So what if it isn’t.
What if it is really meant to make you reflect on the path Jesus is calling you to? After all, you can stay on the lakeshore in the crowds and just listen to Jesus – watching him as he sails away with a few folks who were brave enough to really follow him while you discuss the merits and reservations you have about his sermon choice for the day. Or, you can get in the boat and go “lago adentro” – to deeper places that may offer you a greater fill of what you are looking for. Perhaps it is a choice between religious tourism – bathing on the water’s edge – and diving into the slighly scarier, certainly less predictable waters of faith. I think that is a harder message than just “go catch you some people,” and as I said, I have been thinking about it ever since I left church on Sunday. I have been asking myself:
- Where am I just standing and listening (fine for a time, but not for forever)?
- What keeps me from going “lago adentro”?
- At what point do I stop arguing with Jesus and just throw the nets over?
Those are my questions, but maybe they could be yours too…
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Lovely and certainly thoughts to ponder.
How interesting! I really like this and will be thinking about it this week
Blessings to you and Richard. I’ve been faithfully reading your blog — I just haven’t commented until now 
Mamie – Your blog is amazing. Not only your comments but your creation of the blog and all the technology – I am amazed. We missed you at the retreat and talked about you and prayed for you. Harriet
Richard, Thanks for these words. We don’t like to go deep–we prefer to focus out Going deep is probably what we need to do way before we go out knocking on doors. Thank you. JMMG
Or were these Mamie’s words? Or both? Regardless, thank you. You both are gifted thinkers and writers.
Hmmh! Lots to think about this week. I love the difference in perspective. We do miss you and Richard but enjoy reading the blog to keep you close in our hearts.
Hi Richard and Mamie,
Loved reading about Luke 5: 1-11….used the same lectionary passage myself in DePere, WI this week…..I, too, referred to the need for self reflection…..and how we, like Simon, say: “Go way from me, Lord….
Thank you for letting me continue to experience Colombia through your eyes and words. Dios Les Bendiga, Lucy
I’d like to say a word of praise for those who see Jesus and the deep-water-goers get in the boat and set out. They too have a story to tell. I see them going back home and telling about what they have seen and telling what they have seen and telling what they have seen. Their grandchildren will hear the story–and their grandchildren. If all had gone to the cross, how would the story have been told?