Third Sunday of Easter
Penelope Bridges
Alleluia, Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
John’s story of Jesus and the fish breakfast comes immediately after the story of doubting Thomas that we heard last week. You might remember how that Gospel passage ended: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” Doesn’t that sound like the end of the story? But no: we have this final chapter, which feels almost like an afterthought. And so I wonder, why was it added on to the end? Was it a story that was initially forgotten? When the author was writing this Gospel, was nobody available to share this story? Or was it initially not deemed important enough to be spelled out, rather than being included in the “many other signs” mentioned at the end of the previous chapter?
Let’s take a closer look. This appearance of Jesus on the beach of the Sea of Galilee takes place at an unspecified time after Easter Day. Maybe there was a long gap after the two initial appearances, long enough for the disciples to start losing hope of any lasting change. Maybe in their depression and grief, they turned back to what they knew, and when Peter said “Let’s go fishing”, the rest of his crew went along, returning to their former life. But the fish were hiding and they caught nothing all night. As they trawled the lake in the darkness, maybe they remembered Jesus saying, “I will make you fishers of people.”
In the earliest light of day, in a scene reminiscent of the first Easter Day, Jesus appeared, but they did not know him, a phenomenon that we’ve seen in other post-resurrection appearances. Jesus told them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. And now, there were so many fish that they could hardly haul the nets in. Where, without Jesus, there had been emptiness and death, now with Jesus there was life abundant. John specifies 153 large fish, whose weight should have broken the net. Scholars tell us that it was once widely believed that there were only 153 species of fish in existence, so John is suggesting that they caught every kind of fish, a symbol of the power of Christ’s message to reach all people, and a hint of the strength of the good news that will eventually encompass the world like a net that cannot be broken.
The disciple whom Jesus loved, who is traditionally identified with the author of this Gospel, is the one who first recognizes Jesus; but it is Peter, the captain of the boat, who reacts characteristically impetuously, jumping into the lake and swimming to shore in his desperation to be reunited and reconciled with Jesus. Once the boat reaches shore, it is Peter who hauls in the net; it is becoming clearer that this whole story may be about rehabilitating Peter as leader of the community of disciples.
They eat together – repeating a post-resurrection theme that reminds us that Jesus was bodily resurrected and not a ghost. It seems that Jesus has come prepared: he already has fish on the grill; but it is nevertheless important that the disciples bring the fruits of their labors to the table, just as we bring our offering to the altar every Sunday, even though the table is already set and the sacred meal prepared.
After what must have been a slightly awkward meal, with the disciples inhibited by their uncertainty and confusion, Jesus addresses Peter. Remember that Simon Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times on the night before the crucifixion; this memory must have been eating at him and had doubtless damaged his credibility as a leader of the movement.
Jesus says to Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He asks three times, offering Peter the opportunity to unwind the earlier triple denial and thus fully restoring their close relationship. And he gives Peter his commission as leader of the church: feed my sheep. How appropriate that this Gospel is assigned for a week when the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church will meet in conclave to choose the next successor to St. Peter. I hope and pray that whoever is chosen as Pope will honor that command to feed all Jesus’ lambs, even though he will inevitably be flawed as Peter was flawed.
After Peter asserts three times that he loves Jesus, he learns that there will be a cost to this love: he will risk suffering if he commits his life to Jesus. We should take note of this: following Jesus is not without risk in any age. Earlier this week, the Revd William Barber, pastor, prophet, and leader of Moral Mondays, was arrested when he and others prayed out loud in the Rotunda of the US Capitol building. He dared to speak out on behalf of those who will suffer from proposed federal budget cuts to social safety-net programs such as Medicaid, praying to God for God’s love and mercy to be known in the highest levels of government. While he was later released, the ordeal caused him significant physical pain. Following Jesus, loving his people, feeding his sheep, is not always safe or comfortable.
There is a great deal said about food and feeding in the Gospel story: the disciples go fishing for food; they cannot find it on their own; Jesus provides an overabundance and shares it freely; and after having fed his friends, he instructs Peter to go out and feed the world. And so here we are now, two thousand years later, still coming together regularly from our everyday lives and occupations, still gathering for a meal with Jesus – fortunately one that doesn’t include fish – , still remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus, and still being called to feed the world, to fish for people, to open our nets and our hearts to every sort and condition of human being.
The words that Jesus addressed to Peter are addressed to us too. Do you love him? If so, cast your net to the world and invite all people in. Do you love him? If so, feed those who are starving, in body, mind or spirit. Do you love him? If so, follow him to the margins, to those who are afraid, powerless, downtrodden, and bring them into the community of disciples, to embrace the abundant life that the risen Christ offers us, rejoicing in the fellowship and love that we have known and are now ready to share.
Alleluia Christ is Risen. The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia.
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