Living into the Promise of Easter

“Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.” From John 21:1-19

I love the resurrection appearances in the gospels. Partly because they force me to remember that Easter is a 50 day-long season (10 days longer than Lent). Easter people are not found only in the full celebratory joy of Easter Day. We need time to understand with clarity the call of following Jesus into a deeper journey of discipleship.

In this week’s gospel, Simon Peter returns to what he knows, while he sorts out his confusion of the recent events. He goes fishing with his friends. At first it doesn’t go well, and they don’t catch anything. While I’ve not spent a lot of time fishing, I do know it requires much patience. It is in those waiting periods that one takes in the beauty of the scenery, has important conversations, and becomes grounded in the rhythm of the task before them. The fish may or may not bite, but being fully present is the real gift of the process. I suspect we sometimes underestimate the importance of waiting as a necessary precursor to the abundant haul that follows.

The disciples must ‘clear the deck.’ It is only then they hear the voice calling from the shore inviting them to let down their nets on the other side of the boat. Trying something new often requires letting go of old routines. We tend to recognize that something isn’t working when there is an absence of harvest. Peter listens to the voice from the shore which makes his haul so abundant, so gratuitously overflowing, that he knows that voice belongs to the Lord. He leaps into the sea and goes towards Jesus. This isn’t the end of the story; there is more that must unfold before Jesus’ well-known invitation of, “Follow me.”

Jesus invites the disciples to breakfast. They must be fed so they may continue to make sense of what this new life looks like. They also need to remove any lingering impediments which prevent them from fully inhabiting Jesus’ invitation to follow Him more closely. Peter, especially, must address his own denial. Jesus doesn’t accuse or shame him but invites him to reaffirm the love he carries despite his denials. Three times Jesus asks whether Peter loves him. Maybe Peter was impatient or uncomfortable with the question. Being human means that we prefer to avoid our own darkness. In giving Peter the chance to turn from his denial completely, Jesus prepares Peter for his future ministry and gives him the pathway to freedom. 

What do you need to reconcile with yourself or with others to more fully follow the voice of love? How might we become Easter people?

Peace, Beth +