"What's your net worth; how's your catch flow?" Prophet margin 2.0 - For Pete's sake.

Q & A: Regarding profits and losses that end up, on your yearly and cumulative balance sheet. As part of a convo that you have likely had in advance of whatever "filings" are most relevant in this time of your life. Sometimes prompted by your accountant, with your partner, or even a higher Source, taken to a deeper level various times of the year and when taking a long look back...

In Balance: In this particular week for many of us we take a longer pause than usual to consider what the prophets of old as well as the One they fore-told told us of, provoking us with parables, about losses -- as in the one about the one lost sheep and the labor-intensive search...provocations that even a devout disciple deciphered only after a great deal of consternation and deconstruction (as in "attempting to understand the relationship between text and meaning"). This, following an even bolder proclamation that "Peter, if only you'll put down your nets and follow...I'll make you an even better fisherman..." And so, he did...

"Rocking!" In one word it tends to sum up as in an exclamation either a strong affinity for the idea being presented, or another type of affirming posture. I can only imagine what it would have been like for this new recruit when after he put down his nets to join the Man from Galilee, who just seemed to come out of nowhere, as if he just walked ashore...being first told that the location and type of fishing would shift a bit, only after he was to try on a new moniker, "Cephas" which was Aramaic for "Rock" which, in my own deep reflections, probably became, after additional disciples were recruited, assembled, familiar with one another, even a bit of a sobriquet of the day (nickname)..."just among friends"...

"Let's Roll" Now a two word phrase to initiate action, which was not unlike what their (now twelve in tow..."gonna' need a bigger boat...") Teacher urged them to action, to join Him in His brand new ministry, which continued to utilize some perplexing parables as well as teachable, life lessons, including when He invited the Rock to, while the boat was afloat, to join in a stroll, out on to the water...which was one of our first glimpses of this so-called "Rock of Gibraltar" (more contemporary reference for "a source of support and confidence") that had him, sinking like what else, until he took the hand of Another, from Whom he would gradually gain in faith and humility...

"Say it isn't so" A common statement of disbelief, or at least a reality you don't want to accept. Which probably came close to what Peter and his company expressed when first told of Christ's anticipated departure, violent death to come -- a denial with several to follow from "The Rock" himself, in the span of...one evening, as in "before the cock crows". Can you, yourself, imagine, what it would like to first claim you would never waiver, only to be told..."not only once, at a the most critical time, but...you are about to be, what adds up to, a serial denier" Talk about humility, eh? And so, it went...

Rolling Rock: As discovered by another devout follower by the name of Mary (earlier identified with the attachment Magdalene, in part due to hailing from the seaport Magdala, and to distinguish her from a few other notable Mary's)...in the dim early light she came to see...and see she did, that not only the stone had been removed, but the tomb empty, to reveal that the resurrection had indeed come to pass...after which she fled to find the other devout disciples, including the one named Simon Peter who was, once again, on a roll himself ("I'm going fishing..." John 21:3), and once again, in good company...

"Duc in Altum" Following what they thought may have been the final act, as in debt consolidation, one in which Jesus paid off through the ultimate sacrifice...he found some of His favored few, once again, lacking direction, finding their nets empty, after a whole night of fishing, according to the Biblical account. Once they realized who was hailing them from shore a bit later, more fully accepting the unreal reality that had come to pass, they then feared a degree of reprimand, and once again perplexed by the simplest of greetings "Shalom" (peace), accompanied by some corrective action ("try putting your nets over the other side") after which they could hardly haul in the net. In my own deep reflection on this continuing character development, I have Peter and his pals exclaiming "gonna' need a bigger net!" - which would actually been a foreshadowing of what was to come...Once they realized it was the resurrected Jesus directing, then re-inviting them, to yet one more meal together. At which time, curiously symmetrical with his earlier denial, in three acts, Jesus posed the question of how he (this "rock") loved him and whether he could, once again, count on him to, this time..."tend my sheep" (see what I mean by a bigger net?) And so, he did, which saw Peter once again laying down his nets in response to the Great Commission.

Layers of Meaning: Of both parables and Latin-based phrases, such as "Duc in Altum!"  which has come to mean, according to many Biblical scholars, an invitation to "take the plunge, go deeper into your spiritual life..."  Which I hope will add depth to your own Easter reflections.