jumping ship
"Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going out to fish.' " —John 21:3
Peter had given up on Easter. He had even given up on Christ. Although Jesus had initially called Peter to be a fisher of men and no longer a fisherman (Mk 1:17), Peter decided to go back into the commercial fishing business. Peter went back to B.C., that is, to his state before He had ever known Christ.
Jesus came to Peter. Instead of punishing him for his disobedience, He blessed Peter with his greatest catch of fish ever (Jn 21:6). Peter repented and jumped ship (Jn 21:7). He quit his job.
Many of us need to jump ship to have a real Easter, to move from B.C. to A.D. This may mean leaving a job, a sinful relationship, a bad habit, a prideful attitude, or a self-centered lifestyle. We must jump these ships. As much as we may like them, they are going nowhere but away from Jesus, that is, to death and ultimately to damnation.
There is no salvation in a job, a satisfying relationship, a pleasure, or a success. We cannot be saved by doing our own thing, getting our way, being popular, or feeling good. Jesus is the only "name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved" (Acts 4:12). Jump ship for Jesus.
Prayer: Father, may I make any decisions necessary to truly celebrate Easter and witness for Your risen Son.
Promise: "They were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection of the dead in the person of Jesus." —Acts 4:2
Praise: Praise the risen Jesus Who has brought us from death to life!
Reference: (To gain the courage to jump ship for Jesus, read the Bible every day. We have several tape series to help you. Overview of the Bible is six audio tapes starting with AV 10A-1 or three video tapes starting with V-10A. 15-minute Bible Teaching - New Testament is forty audio tapes starting with #700. An Introduction to each Book of the Bible is 32 audio tapes starting with AV 21-1 or 17 video tapes starting with V-21.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, XXX 11, 2011
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.