The Sea of Galilee, Not the Sea of Tiberius

The Lake of Gennesaret, aka The Sea of Galilee, is also known by another name. It is believed that Herod Antipas in his efforts to ingratiate himself to the Roman Emperor, Tiberius Caesar, renamed it the Sea of Tiberius, after which it was forbidden to call the lake by any other name. Several years ago, I had meditatively reflected on the scene described in the first eleven verses of Luke 5. They happen by the shore of the Sea of Galilee. My reflection stated that these verses illustrated the three stages of the Interior Life – the purgative, the illuminative and the unitive. I would caution the reader that the following is not an ascetic-mystical treatise on the works of St John of the Cross or Fr Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange. At best, they are whimsical musings of mine based on a surface understanding of the works of these great minds. Here it goes.

The Illuminative Moment

Luke 5:1 says, “While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret.” In Luke 5:3 Jesus gets into Simon’s boat and asks him to “put out a short distance from the shore”. From there, he sits down and teaches the crowd from the boat. What he teaches is the Word of God. This is the illuminative moment in Simon’s life. When he is finished, he tells Simon to “put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” But Simon is doubtful and appears reluctant. I would like to imagine that something like the following went through his mind. “Who is this man? He seems wise in his teachings. Yet he is trying to tell me, an experienced fisherman, how and where to catch some fish. Does he not know that we have been at it all night and have caught nothing?”

Why did Simon, having just returned from a failed fishing expedition, having toiled all night at it, having all his years of experience, having all his knowledge of the Sea of Galilee, its currents, and its schools of fishes … why did he change his mind? Something clicked in his mind (the illuminative moment) that he juxtaposes his doubt with reluctant obedience – “But at your command I will lower the nets” – and he does.

The Purgative Moment

When he does, (Luke 5:6) “they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were tearing”. This is the onset of the purgative moment. Luke 5:8 says, “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” It is that moment of self-realization where pure light exposes the very innards of Simon’s soul to himself, and he realizes the depths of his own sin while at the same time realizing the dire need for his salvation and realizing his absolute helplessness in trying to attain it by his own efforts. Any trace he had of his own capabilities or his knowledge or experience as a human being, let alone as a fisherman, was gone at that moment.

The Unitive Moment

But, even at that moment, paradoxically, his movement is towards the light, not away from it. Thus, exposed to the light, he falls to Jesus’ knees, begging him to leave him, while clinging to him. But that is hardly the end of it. Jesus then invites him (and his companions) to join him on mission, (Luke 5:10), “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men”. The Unitive moment.

Here is what goes through my mind at this point, “Good for Simon! At least he seems to have gone through the three stages of the interior life in eleven verses of Luke 5”. My own life experiences have taught me that the path through these stages is more cyclical than linear and therein lies the problem.

I go through cycles of purgative-> illuminative -> purgative, never quite achieving unitive. The cycle of purgative and illuminative seems like a vicious spiral downward instead of a unitive relationship upwards with and toward Jesus. What I did not realize until I re-read these verses today is that Luke 5:1-11 also describes an insurrection, a complete and total inversion of the reigning power structure in eleven verses.

To begin, note that Luke describes Jesus as he stands by the Lake of Gennesaret. Again, not by the Sea of Tiberius, but by the Lake of Gennesaret, as if to indicate that he stands above all worldly power, all worldly knowledge and wisdom.

An Invitation

I yearn to abide by his command to put out into deep water, but I am afraid to go beyond what I already know and the pernicious habits I am comfortable in. Luke is describing and inviting us to the movement from Pax Romana to Pax Christi. But I am afraid and doubtful of the toll of Pax Christi. So, I cling to Pax Romana. What I am also afraid of committing to is what Simon so cheerfully did, (Luke 5:11), “he left everything and followed him”. It is not without reason that Luke opens the chapter with that verse. Christ has conquered the world, all its power and all its worldly knowledge. As narrated, he is standing by the Sea of Galilee, not the Sea of Tiberius and he is calling his disciples to leave everything and follow him.

What will it take for me to “leave everything and follow him.” I know what that entails. I just do not yet have the courage to do it. A priest once gave me this sage advice. If you do not have the courage to leave everything and follow him, then ask the Lord for that courage and he will give it to you. This is that same purgative-illuminative moment that Simon had falling at Jesus’ knees, telling him he is a sinful man, and asking him to leave, while clinging to him. I must start there. Amen.

[Readings: Isaiah 6:1-2a, 3-8; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11]