• When Jesus called Simon Peter, He did not just say, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).

  Luke gave the details of the call (5:1-11).

  Jesus was teaching a crowd by the lake of Gennesaret when He saw two boats. Jesus chose and approached one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon Peter. He sat in it and requested Simon to put it out a short distance from the shore so that Jesus may continue teaching the crowd. Jesus made sure that Simon Peter, who would naturally board his boat not wanting it to drift, could hear Him speak and know more about Him. Having heard Jesus speak, Simon Peter was ready to follow the coming request of Jesus to put out the boat into the deep, contrary to his knowledge of fish movements. You know what happened when he followed Jesus. Never before in his life had this experienced fisherman made such a catch.

  That could have been the first time Peter asked himself, "Who is this man?"

• From the reaction of Simon Peter to the events that took place since that morning by the shore, and in all humility, he said to Jesus, "Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man," Simon accepted Jesus as his Lord and his unworthiness to be His disciple.

  From this remark, Jesus knew then that Simon Peter was a discerning man. Simon discerned how Jesus prepared him to leave everything and follow Him.

• Thereafter, Simon Peter witnessed many healing events by Jesus, the Centurion’s servant, the many possessed by demons and spirits, the paralytic, the official’s daughter, the hemorrhaging woman, the man with a withered hand, the mute person, including his own mother-in-law. In other words, Simon Peter witnessed how the blind have regained sight, how the lame walk, how the lepers were cleansed, how the deaf hear, and how the dead was raised.
• Simon Peter heard Jesus taught the crowd about the kingdom of heaven through many parables and about His mission to proclaim the kingdom.
• They went around towns where Jesus proclaimed the kingdom and showed compassion for the troubled and the abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:35-38).
• Jesus gave Simon Peter the conditions of discipleship: "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (10:37-39).
• Jesus also taught Simon Peter that he would experience rejection as He did right in His native place (13:54-58). He would even face opposition from the likes of Herod (14:3)
• Simon witnessed the power of the Son of Man over nature when He fed five thousand with five loaves and two fish (14:20), four thousand with seven loaves and fish (15:37), and when Jesus walked on water (14:25).
• Simon experienced walking on water himself when he had faith. He must have faith to follow Jesus.
• His faith must be a persistent faith like that of the Canaanite woman (15:21-28) he saw.

Meditation ~

• Jesus continues to build His Church today and He calls me to participate in His mission.
• He is also preparing me for this task as He did with Peter and the other disciples before me.
• He wants me to have compassion for the troubled and abandoned.
• He gives me the same condition of discipleship He gave others before me.
• I must have a persistent faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
• I must continue my preparations as a disciple of Jesus.
• I must be a discerning person to know what the heavenly Father is revealing to me.
• I can show my persistent faith in Him by spending time with Him in prayer with joy in His presence.

Family Response ~

Joe & Charito

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