Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/510

 was breaking. They beckoned  to  their  partners,  James  and  John, who were  in  the  other  bark,  to  come  and  assist  them. They came, and both  barks  were  so  filled  with  fish  that  they  were  in  danger of sinking.

Wonder and  terror  came  upon  all  that  were  in  the  ships. But Simon  Peter  fell  down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  saying:  “Depart from  me,  for  I am  a sinful  man,  O Lord.”  Jesus  said  to him:  “Fear  not,  from  henceforth  thou  shalt  catch  men.” Having pushed their  ships  ashore,  they  left  all  things  and  followed Jesus.

The Divinity  of  our  Lord. Jesus,  by  the  miraculous  draught  of fish  which  He  procured  for  His  disciples,  showed  that  He  was  Lord over nature. The fish  of  the  sea  obeyed  His  will  and  gathered  together in the  place  where  the  disciples  cast  in  their  nets.

The object  of  this  miracle  which  Jesus  worked  solely  for  Peter  and the other  disciples  was  twofold:  1. Like all  the  other  miracles  it  was meant to  increase  and  confirm  the  faith  of  the  disciples;  2. it was  meant to prepare  the  disciples,  and  especially  St.  Peter,  for  the  apostolic  office, which was  typified  by  this  miracle. Through it  Jesus  meant  to  say  to  His disciples: “Even  as  just  now  you  put  out  to  sea  and  cast  in  your  nets,  at my  bidding,  and  captured  this  extraordinary  draught,  so  in  the  future shall you  fish  for  the  souls  of  men  in  the  sea  of  this  world; and  you  will have as  great  a success  in  that  office  as  you  have  had  just  now  with your nets,  and  will  bring  thousands  of  souls  into  the  kingdom  of  God, i. e.  the  Church.”  Thus  the  miraculous  draught  of  fish  typifies  the apostolic work  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ. The sea  is  the  world; the fish  are  the  men  living  in  the  world. The bark  is  the  Church; the helmsman is  Peter  (and  his  successors). He steers  the  bark,  and  with the help  of  his  companions  (the  Apostles,  and  after  them  the  Bishops), casts his  net  by  preaching  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  by  holy  Baptism receives into  the  Church  those  who  will  believe. Our Lord  Jesus  Christ is in  the  bark  of  Peter,  i.  e in  the  holy  Catholic  Church,  teaching  men,