View of the fishing net

View of the fishing net

Sorting and picking is a well-known thing for all of us. In the material area, we sort things out, get rid of bad or worse, put them aside, destroy them … and conversely, keep good. In various auditions and admissions we also encounter selection according to certain criteria. And we know that criteria can also be thought through, injustice, dishonesty, protectionism and the like. Also in the area of ​​faith is talk about sorting. The Gospel tells the parable of a fishing net that captures various fish species. When it is full, they pull it ashore, sit down, take the good fish into the containers and throw the bad fish out. The Lord Jesus also gives a proper interpretation to the parable: “So will it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, separate the evil from the righteous, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth ”(Mt 13: 49).

The parable of the net follows the admonition already made in the parable of anyone among wheat that evil Christians will not escape God’s punishment. We see that Jesus speaks openly, and yet many have failed, not fulfilling the will of God as explained to them. Therefore, they will be thrown out of the net, that is, the Church. This parable was close to the listener of the Lord Jesus, for many were fishermen. Fishing was their daily job. These fishermen themselves were convinced that they would often get a variety of fish into the net. And to such a fishing net thrown into the sea, the Lord Jesus equates the kingdom of God. After the netting of the fishermen, the fish was sorted. The Lord Jesus wants to speak one great truth; it will be at the end of the world. There God separates the good from the bad, because God is a righteous Judge who rewards the good and punishes the bad.

This parable also tells the Apostles to emphasize the role of the Apostle and their successors. The Apostle’s mission is compared to that of a fisherman. Fisheries symbolize the work done to save people. As bad and good fish enter the net, so do the apostles and their successors include everyone’s teachings. This is how the good and the wicked enter the network of the kingdom of heaven. But the end will come. The fate of the righteous is not mentioned here. But it is clear from the parable. The fate of the evil is the same as that of the wheat (cf. Mt 13: 24-30). The goal of the parable teaches us to receive all who profess Christ. Our mission is not to judge but to testify. Only a final assessment, similar to that in the parable of any of the wheat, will address the question of who belongs to the kingdom of heaven and who does not.

As a boy, the famous Persian poet Saadi sat at his father’s bed and read the Koran. Everyone in the house slept except two of them. Saadi said to his father: Everyone is asleep, no one is praying, reading holy books, they are dead. But his father replied, It would be better if you slept rather than condemn people.

It is not our mission, therefore, to judge people who come to the Church of Christ. We have no right to condemn even the greatest sinner. Instead, the Church advises us to pray for them. For this is why Jesus came into the world to seek out and save what seemed to be lost. He is a Good Shepherd who seeks even the lost sheep. We can’t blame him.

We already understand the goal of the Gospel to help the Lord Jesus find brothers and sisters in the net. And there are no limits to us. Our example and prayer is a great thing that Christ’s blood is not unnecessarily poured out, but that it also causes us to bear abundant fruit, so that there are fewer evil ones who will be thrown into the furnace. Pope John Paul L, Pope of the Smile, although he was Pope for a short time, only 33 days, in 1978 said: – Let each of us try to be good, try to infect others with his goodness and love taught by Jesus. As far as we are concerned, let us not trust ourselves too much. Today we stand firm, tomorrow we can fall. David was a man of holy life, and he fell… Let therefore prayer from our mouths for perseverance in good and faithfulness in the service of God. Just because I belong to the Church will not save us because there will still be sorting. Sorting and withdrawing as well as auditions and admissions let us draw attention to the last one at the end of the world. Amen.