In this modern world of trial and tribulation I often wonder we are to practice our faith. How much more difficult it must have been for early Christians who were persecuted for their faith often suffering death for their beliefs. What great courage it must have taken for those innocent souls to unyieldingly stand by their belief in Christ.

Peter and others were fishermen who cast their nets in the hope of bringing home food for their families and the rest to sell in the village markets. Christ told them “Follow Me and I will make  you  fishers of men.’ It took great sacrifice to do so, but they followed Christ on His path, His journey to Resurrection and Life Ever-Lasting ,  not without their own trials and tribulation. Peter himself denied Christ three times before the cock crowed as Christ Himself predicted. How sullen his heart must have been for he was Christ’s rock upon which the Church would be built. The disciples were men of great character, of strength and courage, of faith and love, of gentleness and belief. They were men used to the day to day toils of life, of savage seas, of a time where living as Christ required was laughed at and considered foolish by many. My, how times have changed, yet they were chosen by Christ to lead the Church after the crucifixion, to pass on the faith to those that would but follow and believe. How do we then, man or woman, live our lives now? To be more Christ-like? How do we become our own ‘fishers of men ?’

I am struck by the great strength of prayer, of caring for those in need, of loving through our faith in Christ, but how? I see faith as confidence in God that He stands by us every day, every moment helping us, guiding us with His almighty hands and with the prayers of the saints and those we love that have already gone before us. Christ’s path is straight and His will undeniable. As it says in the bible ‘God is love, if you do not know love you do not know God.’ Yet, how do we love? It easy to say ‘I love you’ yet God calls us to do more.

How many times do we see that man or woman or child struggling, walking aimlessly and confused, shuffling down the sidewalk or in the store. I believe God wants us, calls us to reach further within ourselves, to cast a prayer like a fishing line and become one more of His ‘fisherman.’ For what great power there is in prayer, what great strength. I see so many these days that are ravaged by poverty, loneliness, sorrow, inner pain, depression or anger. There are many afflictions, but have confidence, practice your faith that we can do more, that we can reach those seemingly out of our reach as God’s arms have no length and His love is eternal.

We are all children of God, created in His image and loved oh so greatly by Our Heavenly Father. Love others, especially the downtrodden for as Christ said ‘The poor will always be amongst you.’ Our faith calls us to act. Often the most effective ways are seen only by our Heavenly Father. Be it a single mother struggling to support and raise her children, the sick, the lonely, a widower or widow cast them a prayer for as St. Paul says ‘Faith without acts is dead.’ Think about their needs. We can do so much through our belief in God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. What greater act than to help another and what better, quieter way to do it than to cast a prayer and be a fisherman for Christ.     

Serge G. Mihaly, Jr.