Holy Land Homily - Day 5 - Magdala

Rev Patrick preaching from the 'altar-boat' in Duc in Altum Church

Deacon Patrick van der Vorst delivered this homily to our pilgrim group on Saturday, 15th April 2023 in Duc in Altum, Magdala, Tiberius.

Luke 5: 1-10

Today we find ourselves overlooking Lake Galilee. In scripture Lake Tiberias, Sea of Tiberias, Lake of Gennesaret, Lake Kinneret, and the Sea of Galilee are all different ways to describe this same lake.

But even more specifically we are in Magdala. When we hear that word we of course think immediately of one of the most prominent women in the New Testament: Mary Magdalene. Just like Jesus of Nazareth, Mary is described as 'Mary of Magdala'. She is identified with the place where she comes from.

Magdala in Jesus' time was not just any village, like Capernaum or Bethsaida, where most of the male disciples came from. Magdala stood for a whole commercial fishing district all along the western shore of Sea of Galilee. It was a highly successful economic hub. So the fish that say Peter and Andrew would have caught, would have been sold here and then shipped and exported from here to other towns.

And it is exactly here that Jesus calls his very first disciples. He knew that what happens here would help spread his message, would help export his teachings.

Mark and Matthew also cover today's story of Jesus calling His first disciples. But our Gospel reading of Luke that we just listened to today is different, as Luke tells the story slightly differently. Luke shares with us the story of a miraculous catch of fish which comes just before the call to discipleship. Simon Peter had been fishing all night without catching anything. He must have been exhausted, mending his nets as Jesus approaches him and asks Simon to push the boat out back onto the lake to have a second try at fishing. We can feel the slight frustration in Simon's voice when he responds to Jesus ''if you say so, I will pay out the nets'. I love that phrase 'if you say so', it shows Peter's scepticism…. Something we are often guilty of too. But what follows is life changing. A huge catch of fish shows the power of God for everyone to see.

Whilst today's reading often gets used to ask each of us to reflect on our own discipleship and mission in life, for me as I was preparing this homily, there is a great sense of urgency shining from this reading. Simon couldn't go home first and rest after a long night's fishing. No, Jesus turned up and off they went in the boat. No time to lose. No time to waste. Time was of the essence. Our call and our mission don't wait until we think or feel we may be ready. It happens NOW. Today. Simon Peter said yes there and then, and what an adventure unfolded after that!

He could not have anticipated in a million years what plans God had for him. And that is exactly it really, we have plans, we make plans, but when we place them in front of God and let him be in charge, then all this may change. Why? Because with our limited, finite minds, compared to God's unlimited, infinite minds, we cannot always grasp what God has in mind for us.

To illustrate this there is this beautiful story of three little trees which stood on a mountain top around here in the Holy Land. The trees dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up.

The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: "I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!"

The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on its way to the ocean. "I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world on Lake Galilee!

The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. "I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me, they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I just want to be the tallest tree in the world."

So years passed and they grew up. One day three woodcutters climbed the mountain.

The first woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the first tree fell.

"Now I shall be made into a beautiful chest. I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.

The second woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining axe, the second tree fell.

"Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. "I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"

The third tree felt her heart sink when the last woodcutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven.

But the woodcutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me," he muttered. With a swoop of his shining axe, the third tree fell. The dreams of the third tree were scattered and the third tree felt devastated.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feedbox for animals, NOT into a treasure chest.

The second tree smiled when the woodcutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead, the once strong tree was hammered and sawed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail on an ocean, or even a river; instead, she was taken to a little lake, a bit like the one we are overlooking now.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter cut her into simple, strong beams and left her in a lumberyard.

So the three trees forgot their dreams.

BUT

But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feedbox.

"I wish I could make a cradle for him," her husband whispered.

The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and the sturdy wood. "This manger is beautiful," she said.

And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat made from the second tree. A thundering and thrashing storm arose. The little tree knew she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through with the wind and the rain.

But a man awoke in the boat, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun.

And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the King of heaven and earth.

One Friday morning, in 33AD, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten woodpile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hands to her.

The third tree suddenly realised that she wasn't maybe that tall tree on top of the mountain that she dreamed of being. God simply turned her two beams into an instrument of salvation.

And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God.

This moving story tells us how God has plans for each of us. Often we can't quite see what he has in mind for us. Here in Magdala, we place our dreams and our plans in front of God.

We tell him: do with me what you want.

we may tell him we want to be a treasure chest, and he may want us to be a manger.
We may tell him we want to be a successful sailing boat, and he may want us to simply be a barge.
…and all that is fine.

Lord, we want to abandon ourselves into your hands, do with me what you will.

Very best wishes,

Rev Patrick van der Vorst

Website: www.christian.art