The Parable of the Dragnet

Today's Reflections

 

The Parable of the Dragnet

Mt 13:47-53

[Jesus said to his disciples,] ⁴⁷“The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. ⁴⁸When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. ⁴⁹Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

⁵¹“Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” ⁵²And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” ⁵³When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.

FISH OF EVERY KIND. The background of this parable is the regulation on kosher food observed by the Jews. Not every fish is kosher or “clean” and fit to be eaten. Fish that has both fins and scales the Jews may eat. Fish that lacks fins or scales is loathsome and should not be eaten (cf Lv 11:9-12).

With a catch of different fishes, the fishermen and their helpers do the separation. What is good or clean they put into buckets to be sold. What is unclean they throw back to the water or sell surreptitiously to pagans.

This daily event in the life of fishermen and fish vendors pictures the final judgment of God. While the parable of the weeds and the wheat (cf Mt 13:24-30) teaches that the good and the bad live together, there will be a time for God’s judgment. It will be a time of separation: the just ones will be ushered into God’s kingdom while the evil ones will be thrown outside where they will wail and gnash their teeth.

 

St. Ignatius of Loyola turned to God

when he realized that the royals he was serving

were just poor creatures.

His life then became a net drawing people to God—

in his lifetime and up to our own.