1 Aug 2013 - fishing license

1 Aug 2013 - fishing license

The thing about fishing with a net is that we don't succeed by trying to be overly selective.  We need to cast our nets as widely as we can.

“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.

We want fish of every kind.  Some may not be suitable for eating.  They can be thrown back later if necessary.  But we often try to cast a narrow net that only catches the perfect fish.  This is wrongheaded.  We are not to evangelize only those whom we feel are pefect candidates for being Christian.  Jesus certainly welcomes fish of every kind as his disciples and even as his apostles.  Even if Judas is "thrown away" ultimately, it isn't because Jesus doesn't cast his net that widely.  It is because of his own free will as it plays it in the context of his relationship with Jesus.  Our criteria about good fish and bad fish don't factor in to our efforts at evangelism.  The point, again, is to be generous about casting are nets as widely as we can.

One reason we don't do this is because we aren't really hungry for the feast which we are supposed to be helping to prepare.  It is the feast of the Father's house.  It is the feast of the kingdom.  And if we don't long for it it must be because we don't realize how good it is.  If we do, than we say with the psalmist:

My soul yearns and pines 
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.

So let us open our hearts a little wider.  Let us try to realize that in the Eucharist we have been invited inside the veil of the tent that even Moses is not privileged to enter.

Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.
Moses could not enter the meeting tent,
because the cloud settled down upon it
and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.

That glory is meant to dwell in our hearts!  Then we will truly say:

I had rather one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;