“I am going fishing!”
If I said that I was going fishing, no one would be surprised. But this was Peter who said it.
The disciples were feeling down, and a little overwhelmed by all the events that happened recently. Jesus, their leader, was crucified. They had gone into hiding for fear that they would suffer the same type of death that Jesus suffered. Jesus, risen from the dead had appeared to them twice behind locked doors.
At this point, the disciples were trying to comprehend what all this meant. They didn’t know what to do. Peter, always rambunctious and always ready to act, says “I’m going fishing.” The other disciples there, not having anything better to do, decide to join Peter. They went down to the boat with Peter, got in and fished all night without catching anything. Sound familiar? It should, because this is not the first time we have heard this scenario.
They were fishing about one hundred yards from the shore. Jesus, standing on the shore asks them if they caught any fish. They say no, and Jesus tells them to drop the nets on the right side of the boat, and they would find something.
The disciples did not recognize the person standing on the shore as Jesus. It seems that no one who saw Jesus after his resurrection recognizes him until he speaks or breaks bread with them. Scholars are unsure why this is, but it happens numerous times after his resurrection. Mary didn’t recognize Jesus in the garden until he spoke her name. The two disciples on the road to Emaus didn’t recognize him until he blessed and broke bread when they were eating. The disciples thought he was a ghost when he appeared to them behind locked doors until he ate some fish in their presence to show that he had a body.
Peter Kreeft tells us that in this case, it is only after seeing the miracle of the 153 fish that the beloved disciple tells Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Peter hears that it is the Lord, he jumps into the lake and swims to the shore. This was very different from the time that Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on the water to Jesus in the storm.
We know that Peter sometimes acts without thinking through all the potential consequences. When Jesus said that they would desert him Peter said that he would never leave him and would even die for him. When the mob came to arrest Jesus in the garden, Peter drew his sword and cut off a person’s ear.
Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the cock crowed. I’m sure Peter thought to himself that would never happen. When it happened, Jesus looked at Peter and Peter made eye contact with Jesus, he went out and wept bitterly. Peter was ashamed and sorry for denying our Lord.
It seems ironic that Jesus would select Peter to lead the Church after all of this. Yet, Jesus knew that these characteristics would make Peter the ideal leader for the fledgling Church. Jesus does this all the time. Jesus calls some of the Saints to do great things for his Church. Some of them felt unqualified but Jesus guided them to great accomplishments for him.
He also calls us to serve in ways that we often feel we are incapable of doing. If we are willing, Jesus will take our meager efforts to build the Church from our humble actions. Jesus took the most unlikely person to lead his Church because he knew that Peter loved him and would persevere until he successfully cared for the Church.
After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Peter answers “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus tells Peter to “Feed my lambs.” Again, Jesus asks Peter “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter responds, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” This time, Jesus tells him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus asks Peter a third time “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” The Gospel reading shows Peter ‘s frustration that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus tells him, “Feed my sheep.”
Peter’s frustration at this point is brought about because of his shame for denying Jesus before. It brings back all the hurt from Jesus’ look when they made eye contact in the courtyard. Something that Peter desperately wants to forget.
Jesus asks Peter three times: “Do you love me?” One time for each time Peter denied him. Each time that Peter expressed his love for Jesus, he is given a task. Jesus is preparing Peter to lead the Church.
The terms progress each time. It starts with the command to feed my lambs. Take care of the little ones, the children in the world. The next time Jesus tells Peter to tend my sheep. Jesus wants Peter to be a shepherd to the Church, his flock, and teach the Church how to love God by example. The third time, Jesus tells Peter to feed my sheep. Teach the Church the truth and teach them how to evangelize the world.
Jesus is calling us today, just as he called Peter two thousand years ago. “Do you love me?”
Do I love him? How will I respond? Like Peter? Remember that when we say yes, Jesus will tell us to care for others. He will ask us to help the homeless, the sick, the widow, the orphan, the incarcerated, the stranger and the immigrant.
It is important that we understand that to be a Christian we must live a life of love for others. This is the life that Jesus lived to give us an example to follow.
Jesus is asking each of us “Do you love me?” Are we too preoccupied with family or work or school to make time to serve our Savior? Or will we answer like Peter? “Yes, Lord, I love you, SEND ME.”
