Does it depend on the fisherman's skill? On the equipment? On the vessel? On the bait?
A moment of stillness I had at a beach in Puerto Rico, years later, led me to a reflection: What is it that makes me feel this calm? Not just on this beach, but in my day-to-day life. For a while, I thought I had the answer, and I focused on the scene; I focused on the breeze, the scent of the sea, and the memory I held. But then I realized that my focus was fleeting. That memory of calm faded away with any given situation. This created a conflict in my mind. Then, this question came to my life: In what, or in whom, am I placing my trust?
The fisherman who fishes by vocation is usually moved by two main reasons: sustenance and the satisfaction he feels while fishing. Vocation, by definition, is that which makes us grow as individuals, allows us to help others, and brings us satisfaction in the doing. When we find it, we can lose ourselves along the way, as happened to me. We don’t look for the origin of what we love to do so naturally; we don’t ask ourselves why we come with this capacity, much less who put it there.
When we enter the race of life, some continue developing and working on their vocation, even if for the wrong motivations. Others, unfortunately, looking only a short distance ahead, remain focused solely on achieving their sustenance; they simply enter a profession.
A fisherman might only see that fishing brings food to the table, whether for his own consumption or for sale; like many of us, he sets his gaze only on the sustenance.
But have you asked yourself: why are you so good at it, or why are you so passionate about that activity? Who put that in your heart? Who connected your heart with your hands?
The fisherman acquires knowledge of the conditions and the seasons; he learns about the phases of the moon and searches for information on the tides. He buys equipment targeted to the type of fishing he will perform. Watching and dreaming about boats is his hobby. And when it’s time to go fishing, he makes sure he has the best bait for his prey.
But he never wonders why he has that taste, or how he manages to learn all that information so naturally. He even comes to think that everyone knows everything he has learned, because to him, all that information is obvious.
Reflecting on this, God led me to understand that He placed that passion, that vocation, within each of us. Now the question would be: what use would God have for each of us to have a vocation? What is His intention? Is it just so that we have sustenance?
Well, that is the view I have held, unconsciously, but it is the lens through which I have seen my abilities most of the time. I mentioned before that vocation sustains you, but by definition, it makes me grow and moves me to help and serve others. This is closely linked to the biblical teachings God gives us: to be virtuous and to serve others.
This leads me to the reflection that my talents, my skills, and my vocation are there because God placed them there to manifest Himself in me, in us. By allowing ourselves to be used by God, we are pleasing and serving Him. God manifests Himself through us, blesses others, and in this way, others come to know that He is real.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the true focus we should give to our lives and our vocation.
The fisherman would understand that he needs to become more virtuous in his vocation every day, but not because his sustenance will increase. He would understand that no matter how hard he tries, he needs the One who brings the fish to the hook, who is God the Creator. He would understand that he would be honoring God, serving others, and he would understand that God takes care of the sustenance, for all these things will be added unto him.
God showed me that provision comes only from Him.
With this series of pieces, I want to represent this reflection. Many times we put our trust in our skills, in our resources, and occasionally even in the people we see. But God reminds us that He is the one who puts the fish on the hook. He orders everything so that we depend on Him.
In Luke 5, Jesus ordered Peter to fish at the moment of least probability. The mere knowledge of a fisherman would say:
Fishing with nets by day is not good; that fishing is done at night because:
The fish are near the surface at night, and during the day they go down to the depths.
Due to the warmer temperature, there are fewer fish on the surface.
The fish would see the nets better and would escape from them.
After a night—the best time—fishing had already been attempted in the area with no results.
With exhaustion, I am less effective.
The conclusion would be that it is crazy to try to fish.
However, the story was different. God shows us in different ways that our life is in His hands and that the best way to live is to rest in total dependence on Him.
The first work in the Series is On My Way.
This vessel represents the moment when we focus on our tools and skills, but we don't see everything; we don’t see the whole scene.
