An enormous amount to ponder in those three readings!
Look at the first one for Peter’s fearless proclamation
of Jesus’ death, resurrection, and the salvation this brings.
Look at the second for a vivid portrayal
of the universal significance of Jesus’ sacrifice.
Look at the gospel for the unfolding
of a personal encounter with the risen Lord.
Much of John’s gospel is taken up with signs.
Signs that point to much deeper realities than their simple facts.
Today’s gospel is of that kind.
We are right to peer beneath its surface.
The evangelist expects us to.
Let’s focus on Simon Peter:
not Peter the ‘leader’,
which is a whole other direction for reflection,
but just Peter the ‘disciple’.
He is back in Galilee,
so he and the other disciples have walked about 100 miles
to get from the upper room in Jerusalem last week
to the sea of Tiberius this week.
Maybe a week or more of walking:
so plenty of time to talk and think.
Peter decides to go fishing.
‘Fishing’ surely represents his old way of life.
He is going back to the familiar.
But ‘the familiar’ is unsatisfying, unsuccessful:
they caught nothing all night.
At the end of this dispiriting night,
Peter is open enough
that he is willing to take advice from a stranger.
Although Peter didn’t recognise Jesus,
there must have been something
that made Peter take this stranger seriously.
On the stranger’s advice, they make a large catch:
‘the disciple Jesus loved’ speaks out ‘It is the Lord’.
Peter listens,
his perspective changes,
he responds with enthusiasm,
jumping into the water to get to the shore quickly –
abandoning the fishing; leaving the past behind.
Peter and the disciples come to the Lord.
The Lord invites them to eat: giving them bread.
He is the bread of life.
He feeds Peter.
Then, the encounter moves into a close communion.
‘Do you love me?’;
‘You know I love you’…..‘Do you love me?’
I don’t think the Lord is testing Peter.
I think he is drawing Peter out.
The Lord is helping Peter recognise the depth of their relationship.
Out of that closeness to the Lord,
Peter is to follow, and to serve:
the Lord says: ‘Follow me’; ‘Feed my sheep’.
The stages of Peter’s encounter are typical
of the Holy Spirit at work today.
Drawn by the words of a stranger;
guided by the words of a companion who sees more clearly;
moving towards the Lord with enthusiasm;
being fed, in the memorial meal the Lord established;
in communion, hearing Jesus say: ‘do you love me?’,
and responding with discipleship and service.