Today let’s focus in on the fisherman, the head of the
apostles, the first Bishop of Rome, the first pope. We come upon him in today’s
Gospel reading some time between the first Easter experience of the Lord in the
Upper Room and Jesus’ Ascension to the Father. Peter and his companions were fishing. They had been fishing
when Jesus first called them and told them they would become fishers of men. When
this time they had no success fishing, the Lord called them to cast their nets
to the right side of the boat.
After they brought up a haul of fish, Peter realized that this is the
Lord, tucked in his clothes, and jumped into the water. He would not wait to row ashore. He
wanted to be with Jesus. His companions followed shortly afterward with the
fish, 153 huge ones. Why 153? Why
not 150 or 175, or some other number? 153 was the number of the then known
nations of the world. The apostles would be hauling in all people throughout
the world[1].
Peter’s three affirmations of the Lord follow. Simon,
son of John. Do you love me more
than these? Simon was put distressed that Jesus asked him a third time… Peter’s
three affirmations were more than the antitheses of his three denials. Peter was now being called to show that
he really loved Jesus by caring for the Lord’s people.
And so, the Lord calls out to me and to you: “Joe, Mike,
Linda, Teresa, Do you love me?” “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” “Then care for my people; do something
about it, care for my people.” And
the Lord calls out to every single one of us. Do you really love me? We say we love him. But anyone can
say anything. If we really love
Him, we are going to do something to show we love Him. We are going to care for His people.
Peter and John did not want to be flogged, but if it
was the result of calling people to Jesus Christ, it was worth it, infinitely
worth it. Nor did Peter want to be
put to death, as Jesus told him he would be at the end of the Gospel of John.
That was physical death. The Love
of the Lord is forever. We do not
want to be excluded from the inner circle at school, work, or even at
home. But if it results in people
coming to Jesus, it is infinitely worth it. We do not want to make so many hard choices in life, denying
ourselves the immoral pleasures of the world, but we do so for the sake of the
Lord. His sheep need us to be
wholesome, sincere, and People of God.
And in the long run, when we recognize that this world
is limited, but the Lord is forever, when we admit that the happiness we are
tempted to seek is shallow and selfish and not happiness at all, we enter into
the Church, we experience the joy of the Lord, joy that is ours forever, and we
look up and say, He is Risen ■
[1]
Sunday 14th April, 2013, 3rd Sunday of Easter. Readings: Acts 5:27-32, 40-41. I
will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me - Ps 29(30):2, 4-6, 11-13.
Apocalypse 5:11-14. John 21:1-19.