"You will be catching men"

Many times when this Gospel passage is read (Luke 5:1-11), someone snickers about how “catching men” could be interpreted as something other than evangelization.

Likewise, every once in a while, someone will confuse or connect the words “proselytism” and “prostitution”.

Many of us might just shake our heads at the dirty minds of some other people (sometimes while asking God’s forgiveness for ourselves).

But all of us should take this opportunity to consider our own motives and methods in giving witness to the Gospel of Christ.

When we seek to “catch people” for Christ, is our focus solely on Christ and on the eternal good of the people we are evangelizing?

Or are we doing it for ourselves as well: seeking to be popular, to be liked, and to be reaffirmed by gathering people to “our side”?

It is an important point to consider, for the purer our motives, the more effective the evangelization can be.

Even so, we should never let our self-examination on this point deter us from the work of evangelization.

That is almost what Peter did, as he was very aware of his limitations.

“Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

But the Lord Jesus said to him, “Do not be afraid” and made him an instrument – as imperfect as he was - for bringing people into the Kingdom of God.

By the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may we too be effective instruments for bringing others – men and women, young and old – into his Kingdom.