Spiritual exercise for youth: Put out into the deep


Benny sent us the spiritual exercise he prepared for the youth, who gathered in Tabgha, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, at the time of Yom Kippur.

Put out into the deep

Song

Reading from the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 5:1-10

Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore.

The Lord asked to get into my boat. Was I ready to make place for him? I was busy with my own affairs and did not really want to take into account that with him the danger would also enter me that he will overturn my order and my security.

Silence

Song

Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch."

When he entered my boat, Jesus taught them and I listened although I pretended that I was not really listening. He explained the Word of God to us, spoke about the Kingdom that awaits us. Then he invited me to put out into the deep water, where the waters are not calm, where it is scary, to the place that I always thought was dangerous.

Silence

Song

Simon answered, "Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets."

I was professional, not an amateur. I knew well my profession. I said to him that despite all my experience, I had caught nothing. With all my knowledge, I had not succeeded to gain anything. However, despite this, I was ready to try a new way, according to the word of Jesus.

Silence

Song

When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

With Jesus, life is quite a different story. Everything is renewed. Suddenly the nets are full of fish. What a big surprise. What I did not succeed to do alone, to give myself wholeness, became possible thanks to Jesus, in a new and surprising way. I wanted to live my life without him, I thought he would just weigh me down with all his commandments and religious duties. I got myself organized and made well all alone. I wanted to be free and independent. However, my nets remained almost always empty.

I searched for security, understanding, being accepted, I wanted to succeed, to be strong and respectable. I searched with all my being, from the depths of my heart… for love.

I discovered that I was enslaved to all kinds of things and that I was not at all free as I imagined. It was very important what others thought about me, to show them that I was managing very well, that I was succeeding, that all the doors opened to me, that I was worth something. I did not want anyone to see my weaknesses, the cracks, because the world devours the weak... I hardened my heart and forgot how to cry. MY eyes dried up, I became a man.

Then all I had learned in the home of my parents and in the synagogue lost all meaning for me, no longer spoke to me. God became a kind of legend of hypocritical people who think that they are saints. One day, early in the morning, Jesus appeared on the shores of the lake and asked if I would receive him. He proposed himself as a partner in my life. I did not have anything to lose so I agreed.

Silence

Song

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.

Only than did I recognize my failings. At the moment when the colors again filled my horizons with joy, I saw clearly my sin, the sin in me. The same sin of Adam and Eve: I, like them, wanted to be a son far away from the Father. I wanted to make rules for myself and to live according to my will. I closed in on myself because I was only concerned with my own problems. Jesus took me to the depths of my heart and made me an apostle.

"Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people."

Silence

Song

Each young person is invited to write a note on which they inscribe the sins thatr weigh upon them.

“I confess to Almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do. O my fault, o my grievous fault and I ask the Virgin Mary, all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God through Jesus Christ”

Song

Burning of the notes

"Our Father, who art in heaven, not on our own righteousness do we build our petition to you but rather on your great mercy. Have mercy on us and receive us in our returning to you and bring us to eternal life."

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