In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!
The Gospel reading for this Sunday shows us how the Saviour called His first disciples. “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty” (1 Corinthians 1:27). The Lord chooses simple fishermen to become shepherds of the human race.
Returning from fishing without a catch, the fishermen saw a man teaching the people. When Jesus Christ had finished speaking, He said to Simon: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). Knowing that they had been fishing all night, He commands them to cast their nets now, so that, having come to know His power more fully, they might have greater faith in Him and, leaving their fishing behind altogether, follow Him continually.
Simon answered Him: “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net” (Luke 5:5). “Master” here means teacher. When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish, and their net began to break. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying: “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8). Realizing that His command had been fulfilled miraculously, and that He was divine and extraordinary, Peter considered himself unworthy. Filled with profound reverence and a sense of his own unworthiness, he asked the Lord to depart from him, fearing that he might place himself in danger if, being so unworthy, he dared to stand in the presence of such a Person.
And Jesus said to Simon: “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men” (Luke 5:10). This immense catch of fish was an image of the great gathering of souls and a foreshadowing of the multitude who would be caught in the nets of the Apostles. Christ transforms their physical fishing into a spiritual calling. He tells Simon that, from now on, the nature of his fishing will change: he will gather people.
Before the coming of Christ, there was a night of error and ignorance of the true faith. During that night, the prophets laboured to exhaustion yet found no one willing to listen, for these fish—human beings endowed with reason—gave themselves over to evil deeds and fled from them.
But when the Sun of Righteousness arose, enlightening human souls, the Apostles cast the nets of the Gospel’s teaching and preaching. Within them, a great multitude of these spiritual fish was gathered: the multitudes of the Gentiles. The partners and fellow labourers in this apostolic fishing are the bishops and teachers of the local churches, who assist the Apostles in their work.
“So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him” (Luke 5:11).
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, we see how the Saviour gained new disciples who, in time, became Apostles. Most of the twelve Apostles became martyrs. Yet upon their blood the Church was established, and she continues to save human souls. Many, having heard the Word of God, followed the Apostles. In time, islands of holiness arose among different peoples, where those who imitated the ascetic labours of the Apostles built churches of God—first in caves and catacombs, and later above ground.
One example for us today is St. Anthony, whom we now commemorate. He first settled in a cave on one of the hills of Kyiv. In time, brethren seeking the one thing needful began to gather around him, and the Kyiv Caves Lavra came into being. The first churches of the Lavra were underground. Divine services continue to be celebrated in them to this day.
Today our Church celebrates St. Anthony of the Caves and all the venerable fathers who rest in the Near Caves. An account of the monastery’s founding is found in the Kyiv Caves Patericon, written by St. Nestor the Chronicler, whose relics also rest in the Near Caves. Many miracles occurred during the lives of these venerable fathers, and miracles continue to occur after their repose.
In our own time, more than ever before, we need their help and support. Let us all turn to them together with this brief prayer:
“O venerable fathers of the Caves, pray to God for us!”
+ Bishop Theodosy of Manhattan
