The Washing of the Nets

Peter and his companions were washing their nets after a failed night of fishing. They had caught nothing, yet the nets were dirty. It is an interesting detail: they had not caught any fish, but surely something had remained entangled such as algae, debris, dirt.

The nets represent our life. How many times do we toil to obtain results, to “catch” something with our own strength, but in the end we find ourselves only with tiredness and disappointment? Without the guidance of God, our efforts may seem intense, but they are sterile. And, like those empty but dirty nets, we too can find ourselves without fruit, but full of useless burdens.

Washing the nets is the human attempt to put one’s conscience at ease, to cleanse oneself—a bit like Adam and Eve who, after sinning, try to cover themselves with fig leaves, thinking they can resolve the situation on their own. But true change only happens when we let God work in us.

Another example is the rich young man, who wanted to “wash his net” with good works. He felt okay, but eventually he realized that something was missing: a true encounter with God.

Peter, after washing the nets, receives Jesus’ command to cast them again. He obeys, and this time the net fills up. This is the point: it is not enough to “wash” our life with our efforts. We need to trust Jesus and obey his voice. Only then will the net fill up with what really matters.