The clear blue water, land-
locked with mountains; the meadows on the shore, gay with their
lilies of the field, on which our Lord bade them look, and know the
bounty of their Father in heaven; the rich gardens, olive-yards, and
vineyards on the slopes; the towns and villas scattered along the
shore, all of bright white limestone, gay in the sun; the crowds of
boats, fishing continually for the fish which swarm to this day in
the lake;--everywhere beautiful country life, busy and gay, healthy
and civilized likewise--and in the midst of it, the Maker of all
heaven and earth sitting in a poor fisher's boat, and condescending
to tell them where the shoal of fish was lying. It is a wonderful
scene. Let us thank God that it happened once on earth. Let us try
to see what we may learn from it in these days, in which our God and
Saviour no longer walks this earth in human form.
'Ah!' some may say, 'but for that very reason there is no lesson in
the story for us in these days. True it is, that God does not walk
the earth now in human form. He works no miracles, either for
fishermen, or for any other men. We shall never see a miraculous
draught of fishes. We shall never be convinced, as St. Peter was, by
a miracle, that Christ is close to us. What has the story to do with
us?'
My friends, are things, after all, so different now from what they
were then? Is our case after all so very different from St.
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