God surrounds us with His miracles every day, but often we
don’t have the eyes to see them.
Some, like the incredible gift of the Eucharist, are given
to us repeatedly, yet we take them for granted. But sometimes smaller miracles
jump out us – God’s way of grabbing our attention – especially when they are
repeated.
My family recently experienced a miracle repeated twice for
us, at the same location and same circumstances, but three years apart, at St.
Columbkille School’s fourth-grade fishing trip.
Three years ago, my daughter Faustina went on the trip to
Wehrspann Lake with her brother Daniel, an avid fisherman and a seminarian at
the time. Faustina hadn’t been catching any fish, so Daniel suggested that they
try a prayer to one of the most famous fishermen of all, St. Peter.
They prayed a prayer, and Faustina caught a fish –
instantly.
Daniel already had developed a fast friendship with St.
Peter, not only as a fishing buddy, but also as his inspiration to investigate
a possible vocation to the priesthood.
Daniel’s love of fishing (which may have had its beginnings
with his fourth-grade trip) had him planning to make a career of fishing,
including studying wildlife fishery in college. But then Jesus’ words in the
Gospel jumped out at him, as they had centuries ago to Peter (then-named Simon)
and his brother, Andrew:
“Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Daniel entered the seminary, but after four years he
discerned that God’s call wasn’t necessarily to priesthood. Daniel continues to
follow Jesus and is still pondering what that call might entail.
For Faustina, the little fishing miracle was life-changing.
It came at a formative age and remains one of the first things she mentions as
proof to her that God exists, that He answers prayers and that He answers her
prayers.
So those family experiences must have entered Paul’s mind
last week when he went on the same
field trip with his class. It was a cold,
windy day, and the fish weren’t biting for him either. Toward the end of the
day, after both his parents had left, a frustrated Paul also asked St. Peter
for help – out loud in front of a handful of classmates.
He followed that prayer with a silent Hail Mary as he walked
a couple steps away to try a new spot. And he cast his line, immediately hooked
a bass and reeled it in. He didn’t want to handle the fish, though, so his
friend, Quinn, is shown holding the bass in the picture.
At least one parent witnessed the prayer, and God’s
response. She said other kids also began calling out to St. Peter for help. God
doesn’t necessarily work that way, she tried to explain.
A lot of people would be skeptical of our family’s fishing
miracles, dismissing them as coincidences or too trivial a request for God. But
I think God has been doing some of His own fishing.
First He landed Daniel. Then He hooked Faustina. And now
He’s angling for Paul, or perhaps one or more of the people who witnessed our
family’s second fishing miracle through St. Peter’s intercession.
St. Peter, our Lady and our Lord still have some work to do.
We have two more children who haven’t reached fourth-grade yet. And next in
line for the fishing trip is our own Peter, named after the saint and another
great pope, St. John Paul.
St. Peter, pray for us! Watch over all fishermen (and
women). And through your intercession, may God make us fishers of men!
Inspired
by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for
us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her
to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on
Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.
