On the day when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, John identified Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29), which translates, without allegory, to Christ, the Savior of mankind. Furthermore, the voice of God the Father from heaven declared Him as His beloved Son to all. Following this, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael discovered and acknowledged in Jesus Christ the Son of God; they followed Him and witnessed the beginnings of His miracles in Cana of Galilee, believing in Him. However, they seemed to grasp little of the unfolding events and returned to their ancestral trade of fishing. This is the essence of the human condition: souls strive to ascend from the physical to the spiritual, equivalent to how a fish may leap from water to air, yet like a fish in water, we quickly descend back into the realm of sensuality. Only through Christ’s grace can one be truly elevated, transformed, revived, and guided in a lasting spiritual manner.
There, He walked along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, discovering Peter, Andrew, James, and John preoccupied with their nets. He extended to them His powerful and prophetic call: "Follow Me; I will make you fishers of men." The effectiveness of His call was immediate; they abandoned everything, and two of them even left their father, committing themselves to Jesus Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. Thus, Christ’s intention to draw men to Himself and to gather them, eventually leading to the establishment of ‘the Church’ (Matthew 16:18), was made manifest. Not only was the intention unveiled, but the very work commenced, as He Himself gathered the first four noble fishers of men. It is fitting to say that the fishing boat became the cradle of Christianity, and the fishing nets served as its midwife.
If I were surrounded by those whom God-chosen fishers of men have entrusted with the continuation of their mission, I would point to Peter, Andrew, James, and John as perfect examples of willingness to heed God’s call, devoid of selfishness and self-interest. Should you, through the Gospel, reflection, or conscience, perceive a voice calling you to God’s work, to faith, virtue, prayer, to discipline the flesh and deny triviality, and should this voice resonate within your heart: recognize that Christ is silently passing by, gazing at you, and calling you. The quicker and more decisively you respond to His call, the greater favor you will find with Him and the more entitled you will be to His assistance. Conversely, if you remain inattentive and slow, you distance yourself from the Caller and the hope of His return.
It is permissible to engage in earthly activities and meet earthly needs; there is a divine command that “in the sweat of thy face thou shalt bring forth thy bread” (Genesis 3:19). However, ensure that while tending to earthly matters, you do not neglect the heavenly work, the eternal salvation of your soul, getting entangled in earthly gain, sensual indulgence, or human glory. Even if your earthly father disregards truth and righteousness, prioritize the will of your Heavenly Father. Your earthly father cannot lead you to heaven if he diverts you from the path of your Heavenly Father. Conversely, your Heavenly Father, through your self-denial and obedience to His will, not only guides you to heaven but also can lead those opposed by your earthly father to salvation through your faith.
Let us return to Christ’s word about fishers of men. He appointed Peter and the others as fishers of men by observing their fishing. Some may question this parable: “What does it mean?” (Luke 1:33) What sea are we submerged in as fish? Why must we be caught? Wouldn’t we prefer to swim freely in the sea rather than be trapped? Resolving these questions might prove beneficial, for we should not flee from Christ’s net nor should those already caught attempt to escape it. Like a fish in water, the human spirit, because of original sin, is submerged in flesh, sensuality, and worldly desires, which have been marred by Adam’s fall, “lies in wickedness” and is tossed about “by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 5:19-2:16). This leads to sorrowful waters reaching the human soul; pleasures, passions, and vanity entice, and one becomes lost, lacking peace, purpose, and self-understanding. Even more dire, lurking in the depths of life’s sea is the serpent of the abyss, always eager to consume man, like a large fish preying on the small.
This context sheds light on why Christ seeks to catch men in life’s sea. He further clarifies this through a similar parable: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered of every kind” (Matthew 13:47). Notice that He captures men to draw them into the kingdom of heaven. He envelops them with the truth and life-giving commandments, gathers and protects them, and by the grace of the cross, draws them—just as one moves from water to air— from a carnal existence to a spiritual life, from sin to holiness, from turmoil to serenity, from the transient to the eternal, from the earthly to the divine, from this world to the blessed kingdom of God.
Can we then not declare: blessed is the one who is enraptured by Christ’s allure and willingly follows? Conversely, who can truly lament that the gospel net seems restrictive? Let’s acknowledge that Christ Himself not only acknowledged this but proclaimed that “narrow is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life” (Matthew 7:13). Consider, you who lament the constricted path of Christ, will you find it more spacious if, evading this river of the Gospel, you immersed yourself for a few days in the vast sea of life, only to succumb to the jaws of the abyss for all eternity? Reflect on how Christ’s narrow way leads you to the boundless expanse of paradise and heaven, before which this world, seducing you with its vastness, is lesser and worse than a sea filled with fish. Recall, the world has its nets too, which entrap, crowd, and destroy you; though it may at times appear spacious for the flesh, it is far more confining for the spirit.
In contrast, while the Gospel lifetime may seem constricted for the flesh, it offers expansive horizons for the spirit, as its commandments guide and tame the flesh without hindering the spirit’s ascent from the depths of sensuality to the heights of heaven.
“Blessed art thou, O Christ our God, who hast revealed the wise fishers, having sent down to them the Holy Spirit, and by them hast thou caught the universe!” This tribute of Pentecost speaks to our blessedness in Christ, especially honoring the fisherman Andrew the First-Called, who established the cross on the Dnieper’s mountains as a sign that afterwards, by it, Equal-to-the-Apostles Vladimir and his people would be caught. We also honor the memory of Equal Apostle Vladimir, who first drew the people of Kiev and later all Russians to Christ, leaving a legacy for our Pious Sovereigns to continue the noble mission of spiritual fishers, instilling Christian piety as the foremost good of their people.
May the divine favor of our reigning Autocrat Nicholas Pavlovich be blessed by God’s grace, as he labors to spread the reign of Christ within his kingdom and leads many souls to Him through well-structured ministries. He also engages beyond our homeland, restoring divine order among rebellious nations, working with vigor and strength.
Let all witness these blessed footsteps. Whoever is called to continue the labor of spiritual fishers must passionately lead souls to Christ through the truth, and let those who cannot be drawn by His words be captivated by righteous deeds and prayer. Everyone, without exception, should strive to embrace the esteemed calling of being a fisher of Christ. May we willingly constrain our actions, desires, thoughts, and aspirations within the boundaries of Gospel commandments. May we follow the gracious pull of faith and love, so when the “net” of Christ is “filled” with the chosen for salvation and “drawn out at the end of time,” we may be counted among the “good” catch and gathered “into the vessels” (Matthew 13:48) of heaven, immersed in the sea of light and eternal joy. Amen.
THEOSIS