BARROW: Trust in the Lord. Listen to Him. Cast again.

(OSV News photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit)As summer winds down and a new school year begins, I’ve been reflecting on how I spent the past few months and how that time unexpectedly deepened my understanding of ministry.

This summer, I returned to a childhood hobby: fishing. Weekends found me near the waters of Clear Lake, Pearland, Surfside and Texas City, rod and reel in hand. At first, it was just a way to unwind. But before long, I realized fishing was teaching me something deeper — lessons that spoke directly to my work in campus ministry. 
 
The art of preparation 
Fishing isn’t just about showing up. It takes intention, choosing the proper rod and reel, knowing the kind of fish you’re after, and using the right lure. You must study the environment, be patient, and learn the art of casting and reeling.  

Ministry is no different. Whether we serve students, faculty or families, we’re called to prepare spiritually, emotionally and practically for the people God places in our path. But even the best preparation isn’t enough if we aren’t also listening.  
 
Planning with the Spirit 
Fishing teaches me the importance of observing patterns—the way the water moves, the signs of life beneath the surface. In ministry, we too must pay attention to how the Holy Spirit is moving in our communities and in the lives of those we serve.  

Plans are necessary, but so is flexibility. God often invites us to adjust, to trust, and to cast again, this time guided not just by skill, but by the evidence of our hope, our faith. 
 
A journey of hope 
The Church invites us this year to walk as Pilgrims of Hope during this Jubilee Year. That phrase evokes a journey centered on trust and expectation. The Catechism states: “Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1817). 

As Pope Francis said, “Hope is bold; it can look beyond personal convenience, the petty securities and compensations which limit our horizon, and it can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile” (Fratelli Tutti, 55). 

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s active trust in God’s faithfulness. It’s what sends you and me back to the shoreline again and again, even when we’ve come up empty. It’s what urges us to cast again.  
 
Listen to Him  
At the Transfiguration, God the Father speaks a simple, powerful truth: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Mt 17:5).  

As many of us enter into a new school year, or in whatever capacity you minister, full of opportunity and unknowns, may we recommit ourselves to listening to Jesus Christ. 

Let’s take time to prepare, to reflect and to notice where the Spirit is leading. And then, with courage and hope, let’s cast again, trusting that the Lord is already at work in the hearts of those we serve.

Doris M. Barrow III is the director of campus ministry at the Texas Southern University Catholic Newman Center.