Easter III-C: Acts 5:28-32, 40b-41; Rev. 5:11-14; Jn. 21:1-19

Today’s Gospel tells the post-Resurrection story of our merciful Savior Who goes in search of His band of disappointed and dejected disciples. The incident proves that Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances were not mere hallucinations. In the first part of today’s Gospel, [I read only the first part] the risen Jesus appears to His disciples and gives them a symbol of their mission in a miraculous catch of fish followed by a grilled fish breakfast prepared by Jesus himself. 

Chapter 21 of John’s Gospel shows Peter returning to his old way of life, trying, perhaps, to forget the disastrous events of the crucifixion of his master. Six other apostles join him:  Thomas the former doubter, the two hotheaded sons of Zebedee, the faithful and loyal Nathaniel, and two others who are not named.  Although John mentions that “it was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead” (v. 14), this is actually the fourth appearance.  The first was to Mary of Magdala (20:11-17).  The second was to the disciples without Thomas (20:19-23).  The third was to Thomas and the disciples (20:26-29).  This post-Resurrection appearance of Jesus reminds us of an earlier incident in his ministry, namely the call of Peter and the other disciples after their night of fishing in the Sea of Galilee.  (Fishermen often worked at night in order to be able to sell the freshest possible fish at the market in the morning). In both instances, Jesus asks the disciples to cast their nets into the sea a second time.   In both cases they catch a large number of fish, and in both incidents Jesus invites Peter to follow him. “The Fathers and Doctors of the Church have often dwelt on the mystical meaning of this episode: the boat is the Church, whose unity is symbolized by the net which is not torn; the sea is the world, Peter in the boat stands for supreme authority of the Church, and the number of fish signifies the number of the elect.

Scripture scholars have long wondered about the possible meaning of the count of 153 fish in the catch described in today’s Gospel. One speculation is that it refers to 153 fish found in the Sea of Galilee; another that the number symbolizes all generations of people. So that number represents above all the fullness of the Church. But it also represents the fullness of our own lives when we give them over to Christ. He fills our emptiness with his friendship. He gives us meaning and purpose. He fills our lives with wonder; he fills our lives with love.

give them over to Christ. He fills our emptiness with his friendship. He gives us meaning and purpose. He fills our lives with wonder; he fills our lives with love.

When the disciples follow the direction of Jesus, their nets are heavy with the catch of fish and when they reach the shore, they see fish already on the fire, and Jesus invites them to bring some of their abundant catch in a mutual gesture of sharing.

 

Jesus authenticated their work by adding to the meal some of the fish they had caught.  There is an Eucharistic overtone in this, but there is no mention

of the blessing or breaking of bread, both of which are part of the usual Eucharistic formula. In every Eucharist we have to bring our catch to add to the Eucharistic meal. When the offertory is raised in offering to the Father, the celebrant says the prayer, Blessed are you Lord God of all creation, through your goodness we have this bread and wine to offer, fruits of the earth and work of human hands… The offertory elements are brought forward by and from the congregation to the altar. In the beginning of the Church everyone brought their own bread and wine for the Eucharist and it ended up being some eating superior quality bread and others inferior and therefore, unanimity is brought when the Church started getting the bread and wine for the congregation from their finances, fruit of their labor. Besides the bread and wine we also need to offer our every joys and sorrows, every concerns and worries and the Father will accept them and transform them and give them back to us renewed and transformed as he does with the bread and wine. If we do not bring anything to we go without taking anything from. Often people complain saying I got nothing from coming to Mass; because we didn’t bring anything. So always bring some of our catch to the Eucharistic meal.

Jesus would challenge us today with words similar to what he said to Peter, 'Recast your nets Peter, and try again'. Peter failed the first time because he had been working alone without the help of Jesus. Many of us may well feel like Peter, we have been working all day and night and have caught nothing. We have been working hard on ideas with little or no success. We have been trying to improve our family relationships but not made any headway with it. We have been trying to improve the finances, but not much success. We feel down and perhaps it is because we have been working alone without Jesus in our lives. We have tried to do it all by ourselves and forgotten what Jesus said to his followers a few chapters earlier in St. John's Gospel, 'I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in that person will bear much fruit, for without me you can do nothing' (Jn. 15:5).