The first disciples.

Jesus was standing by the Sea of Galilee while the crowd was pressing close to hear him speak the word of God. He saw two boats at the edge of the lake. The fishermen were washing their nets on the shore. He got onto the boat that belonged to Simon (Peter) and asked him to take the boat out a little way into the water. He then sat down and resumed teaching the crowds from there.

When he had finished the lesson, he said to Simon (Peter), “Take the boat out further and have your crew put down the nets into the water.”

“Master,” Simon (Peter) replied, “we have fished all night and caught nothing, but because you asked me, I’ll do it.”

They put down their nets into the deep water and they caught so many fish that the nets began to tear. They signaled to their partners on the other boat (James and John, along with their father Zebedee) to come over and help. They filled both boats so full of fish that they began to sink. Everyone was amazed at how many fish they caught. Simon (Peter) was so overwhelmed that he fell down on his knees before Jesus and said “Go away from me, Lord because I’m a sinful man.”

Jesus told him “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will be catching people!”

Then they brought the two boats to the shore. Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John left everything – the boats and other workers, even Zebedee, the father of James and John – and began to follow Jesus.

LK 5:1-11 (MT 4:18-22, MK 1:16-20)

Philip and Nathanael.

Also in Galilee, Jesus found Philip and said to him “Follow me!” Philip was from Bethsaida, the hometown of Andrew and Simon (Peter). Philip found Nathanael and told him “We have found the One that Moses and the prophets wrote about! He is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth!”

Nathanael exclaimed “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”

“Come and see for yourself,” Philip answered him.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching him he said “Here is a man without guile, a true son of Israel!”

“How do you know anything about me?” Nathanael demanded.

“I noticed you under the fig tree before Philip called to you.”

Nathanael replied, “Teacher, you are the Son of God, the king of Israel!”

Jesus asked him “Do you believe this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see even better proof than this. Mark my words, you will see heaven open and the angels of God traveling back and forth between me and heaven.”

JN 1:43-51