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Today’s Gospel begins on the banks of the sea. Jesus’ disciples have been fishing all night without any success. Jesus appears and directs them to cast their nets once more. This time, they catch hundreds of fish.

The final words of this passage transpire between Jesus and Peter Simon. Jesus tasks Peter with following in his footsteps to continue his mission.

In times of hardship, Jesus is never far. He shows us the light when we find ourselves lost in the darkness. His presence in our lives is a gift, and as people of faith, the best way to show our gratitude is to do as Peter Simon did and embrace Jesus’ mission as our own.

After reflecting on the lessons in today’s Gospel, we would like to share Susan Stringham’s story with you. A nurse educator serving in Kenya, she’s building capacity at local health facilities and teaching the gold level of care to the next generation of healthcare workers. Her role is not without its challenges, but she finds comfort knowing that the Lord is always with her.

We will conclude with an excerpt from our conversation with Susan. In many ways, her words embody the call to action that Jesus presents Peter Simon with in today’s Gospel.

I feel like serving others is helping the Lord live through my work. I’m trying to do that in my own way. It’s really about trying to fulfill the mission that the Savior taught us of helping the poor and those who are infirm. It’s why I do this work.

I think that when God puts dreams in us, those dreams come from love. He gives those to us and helps us to fulfill them because I think that’s what he needs us to do. I think that’s what dreams are about. He gives them to us. I’m living the dream.

If you’re interested in learning more about Susan’s volunteer work, you can read more from our conversation by clicking here.

Portions of today’s reflection were adapted from and inspired by the Loyola Press Sunday Connection.