Lk 5:1-11
1While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. 2He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. 3Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
5Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” 6When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. 7They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. 8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” 9For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, 10and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.
Depart from me, Lord, for I am a Sinful Man: Luke does not follow his Marcan source in narrating the call of Simon and the first disciples while they catch fish in the Sea of Galilee (cf Mk 1:16-20). Instead, the disciples follow Jesus after they witness the miraculous catch of fish. And Simon is the focus of the story. Jesus sees two boats, but he gets into the one belonging to Simon. It is also Simon that Jesus addresses, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” It is for Simon that Jesus performs the miraculous catch. Simon is deeply impressed and addresses Jesus in words that recall those of a prophet of old: “I am a man of unclean lips, living among people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Is 6:5). Simon correctly associates Jesus with the divine realm, and accepts his own unworthiness to be in the Lord’s presence. He is only too aware of divine calling—one feels singled out, one feels deeply impressed by God’s working in one’s life, yet one also becomes deeply conscious of one’s unworthiness and littleness.