From Resurrection to Pentecost - "Parakletos" in the Flow of Easter, A Comprehensive Review of the Gospel Readings for Easter Season Year A

For Easter Vigil and the first three Sundays of Easter, the Gospel readings are about how the disciples responded to the Resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28;1-10, John 20:1-9, John 20:19-31, Luke 24:13-35). Whether Mary Magdalene, Peter and John, Thomas, or Cleopas and the other disciple, we reflected on our own response to the Resurrection of the Lord to the disciples in these Gospel narratives from the Easter Vigil to the 3^rd Sunday of Easter.

Then, there was a shift in the direction of the Easter Gospel readings on the 4^th Sunday, which is also known as the Good Shepherd Sunday. On this Sunday, the Gospel reading is always on Jesus’ self-identification with the Good Shepherd in John 10, regardless of the liturgical year. For Year A, the reading is from John 10:1-10, for Year B, John 11-18, and for Year C, John 10:27-30.

With his self-identification as the Good Shepherd and the gate to the Father in heaven on the 4^th Sunday of Easter, the Easter Sunday Gospel readings continue with Jesus’ own Christological discourse to reveal his messianic nature during the Last Supper for the 5^th  Sunday (John 14:1-12) and the 6^thSunday (John 14: 15-21).

Then, during the week of the 6^th Sunday of Easter, the Ascension of the Lord falls.  That is why the 5^th Sunday Gospel reading and 6^th Sunday Gospel reading from John 14 allude to the looming absence of the risen Christ.

Another important shifting factor to be noted in the Christological readings from John’s Gospel during the 4^th Sunday, 5^th Sunday, and the 6^th Sunday of Easter to prepare for the Ascension and the Pentecost is that the 5^th Sunday Gospel and the 6^th Sunday Gospels from John 14 are taken from the Jesus’ Last Supper discourse.

During the Lasts Supper, Jesus began his long discourse to the disciples, after Judas left, to prepare them not only for his impending death but also for what follows his death: the resurrection, the ascension, and the Pentecost, from John 13:31-16:33. The sequence of these events: the death of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus, the ascension of Jesus, and the Pentecost, descending of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples, mirrors the sequence of Jesus’ first prediction of his death (Matthew 16:21-28) and thetransfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9), which was the Gospel reading for the 2^nd Sunday of Lent.

In the 5^th Sunday Gospel (John 14:1-12), Jesus identified himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  This second Christological discourse by Jesus in John 14:1-12 for the 5^th Sunday smoothly follow the first Christological theme, Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the Gate to the Father in John 10:1-10 from the 4^th Sunday.

Jesus’ messianic identification as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, is a response to Thomas’ question, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” To this, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him”.

Thomas asked Jesus where he would be, because Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.”

Jesus’ self-identification as the Way was prompted by Thomas’ anxious feeling, perhaps, anticipatory grief, over a prospect of disappearance of Jesus. A pastoral implication of this for our needs is that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, who shepherds us through turbulent times of anxiety and stress in our life, as in Psalm 23.  That is why Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me”(John 14:1), sensing his disciples’ anxiety upon giving the new commandment and making his impending departure known to them toward the end of the Last Supper.

When Jesus indicated about his departure to prepare dwelling places for the disciples, Thomas began to feel anxious with anticipatory grief. And, he indicated Jesus to tell him where he is going.

The answer Jesus gave to Thomas was his self-identification as the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Namely, Jesus is telling the disciples that he is the Way to Salvation, the Truth of Salvation, and Life into Salvation, as he is the Way to the Father. To put the Good Shepherd and the gate perspective from the 4^th Sunday Gospel, it means that Jesus shepherds us to the Father and is the gateway to the Father. And, he is the only way to the Father. Of course, connection to the Father means salvation, as where the Father is, where salvation is.

Then, Jesus began to add the Holy Spirit in his Christological discourse, in addition to his relationship with the Father, in the Gospel reading for the 6^th Sunday, making his departure more evident.

A very important shifting factor to be noted here is that the Holy Spirit is introduced, as another Advocate (parakletos) in Jesus’ ongoing Christological discourse to reveal his messianic quality in addition to the Father-Son union in his identity.

In the 6^th Sunday of Easter Gospel reading (John 14:15-21), we can discern the Trinity, as all of its elements are in place: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  In this, Jesus indicate that the Holy Spirit as “another Advocate (Counselor)”(John 14:16), in place of his physical presence upon his body’s departure, the Ascension. This suggests that Jesus the Son, is the first and original Advocate (Counselor). Additionally, this also suggests that the 6^th Sunday of Easter Gospel reading also prepares us for the Trinity Sunday, which follows the Pentecost Sunday.

What the 6^th Sunday Gospel (John 16:21-15) teaches us is that God the Father in heaven, has given us Himself incarnate, in the human flesh of Jesus the Christ, the Son, as the first  "parakletos". I prefer to use the original Greek word for “advocate” in English translation. It is because this original Greek word, "parakletos" gives another important insight, not probably drawn from the English translation, “advocate”. Perhaps, the closest English translation of "parakletos" is a comforter and a consoler, who is sent and has come to be with you. To me, “advocate” seems like rather a bit distant translation of"parakletos". However, translating "parakletos" as “advocate” offers an image of the Holy Spirit as the Good Shepherd. Given that Jesus identifies the Holy Spirit as his successor to be with the disciples after his departure, upon his Ascension, and that Jesus has already identified himself as the Good Shepherd, translating "parakletos" as “advocate” also makes sense in this contextual flow in the Easter Gospel readings from the 4^th Sunday to the 6^th Sunday.

It is also important to note that love is an important theme for the 6^th Sunday of Easter Gospel narrative (John 14:15-21). As a continuation of his Last Supper discourse (John 13:31-16:33), which Jesus began with “Mandatum Novum”(new commandment) (John 13:34), he reiterated “Mandatum Novum”, which is to practice “agape”, not only with one another but also including him and the Father. Jesus further teaches that the coming of “parakletos” is Father’s response to the disciples’ practice of Jesus’ “Mandatum Novum” in light of Luke 10:27, loving God to the very best of ourselves in order to love one another as neighbors, as loving ourselves.

Secondly, the 6^th Sunday of Easter Gospel reminds us, in John 14:17, that “parakletos” is the Spirit of Truth (as Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6)). In the following verses, Jesus further teaches the love that characterizes “parakletos” – the “agape” that is Jesus’ “Mandatum Novum”, stemming from the Father-Son unity, which is characterized with “agape”, the self-sacrificing love to the point of “kenosis”(self-emptying for the sake of an object of love). Therefore, Jesus assures that the disciples will not be left alone like orphans even though his physical presence will soon cease with the Ascension. It is because of the very nature of “parakletos”, coming to be with, as Jesus said, “I will come to you”(John 14:18).  The world, “parakletos” is composed of “para”(close, besides) and “kaleo”(making a call). Thus, this Greek word used for the Holy Spirit that Jesus promises as another Advocate, and his replacement while he returns to the Father until Parousis, is the being, who comes to us to be right besides us. And, the mission of “parakletos” to be with us on Pentecost is to remind us that the Son, Jesus, is in the Father, as we are in him (John 14:20). Jesus also teaches that following his “Mandatum Novum” in John 13:34 in light of Luke 10:27 will be loved by the Father (John 14:21). Because being loved by the Father as we practice Jesus’ “Mandatum Novum”, and because Jesus loves his Father (John 14:21), we are known to the world that we are the disciples of Jesus the Christ (John 13:35). Thus, the 6^th Sunday of Easter Gospel reading also indicates our sacramental nature that we receive upon the coming of “parakletos”.

But, for the “parakletos” to be poured upon and infused into us on Pentecost, the body of Jesus has to ascend and to return to the Father, who is the source of “parakletos”, evolved from “ruah”, which blew over the waters when God’s Creation began (Genesis 1:2).

This is where Ascension falls on the week of, in fact, on Thursday of, the 6^th Sunday of Easter, always.

The Ascension is the consummation of the mission of Jesus to the world, as the first Advocate. The period between the Ascension and the Pentecost is the transition period. But, through his words in the Gospel narratives of Sunday Gospel narratives through Easter, our first Advocate, Jesus has prepared us for this transition until another Advocate, the Holy Spirit arrives on Pentecost.

In the first reading for the Ascension (Acts 1:1-11), which describes how the Ascension took place, Jesus is, once again, assuring the disciples of the Pentecost to come soon after his departure. In this, he tells that the Pentecost is the baptism with the Holy Spirit for the disciples (Acts 1:5) to give them the power  so that they can be a witness of Jesus to all over the world from Jerusalem (Acts 1:8). This suggests that the Holy Spirit is not only another Advocate, who teaches (John 14:26), but also the power to spread the witness of the risen Christ throughout the world.  Therefore, right before his Ascension, Jesus is assuring the missionary nature of the Pentecost.

The Gospel reading for the Ascension (Matthew 28:16-20) further goes along with Jesus’ teaching on the missionary nature of the  Pentecost  from the first reading.

Though this Gospel reading’s setting is shortly after Jesus’ resurrection, we remind ourselves, once again, that we, the follower of Christ, are commissioned to go on our mission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and catechizing them to observe all of his teaching, especially his “Mandatum Novum” (Matthew 28:19-20). In fact, this also leads to “charismatizing” those whom we make the disciples by baptizing and catechize, so that they also receive the power, the Holy Spirit, to join us in our evolving mission.

There is an analogous connection between the Resurrection and the Ascension, as Matthew 28:16-20, a resurrection narrative, and Acts 1:11, an Ascension narrative, are used to celebrate the feast of the Ascension. It is that Jesus commissioned the disciples in Galilee to make the disciples of all nations upon his Resurrection (Matthew 28:19-20) and commissioned them on Mount of Olives near Jerusalem to go proclaim the Good News of the glorified Christ to the ends of the earth right before his Ascension (Acts 1:8).

This really reminds us of what Catholic Mass is about – its Pentecostal nature upon the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus, in addition to the Eucharistic nature, of Mass, as it always concludes with a commissioning statement pronounced by the presiding priest, “Ite, Missa Est!” (aplolysis).

With this, the Church is emptied after Mass, as we come out, nourished by the Eucharist, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, commissioned anew to make more disciples of all nations, bearing our witness of Christ, the Good News, to the ends of the earth – so that everyone will be baptized, catechized, and “charismatized”, to be shepherded by the Good Shepherd, the Chris, in “parakletos”, to the Father!

Though there is a bit of grief for not seeing Jesus in flesh upon the Ascension, the scripture readings for theAscension Mass sure gives us fresh inspiration. And, it is what Jesus wants us to experience, as he did for the disciples.

Though many Catholic dioceses in the United States celebrate the Ascension, which is always on the Thursday of the week of the 6^th Sunday of Easter, on the following Sunday, the 7^th Sunday, we do have the designated scripture readings for the 7^th Sunday of Easter. It is important that we read and reflect these words, whether your diocese or archdiocese cerebrates the Ascension on the Thursday and celebrates the 7^th Sunday or not.

The 7^th Sunday of Easter Gospel (John 17:1-11a) is taken from the last long prayer of Jesus in thegarden of agony, Gethsemane, shortly before his arrest to be tortured and killed. Jesus began his Passion with this intense prayer to prepare his way to the Calvary, the Cross, the tomb, and the Resurrection. It is also to shepherd us to salvation, to the Father in heaven, to the dwelling places in the Father’s house.

Given the flow of the themes from the Sunday Gospel readings during Easter, as I indicated above, Jesus made this prayer not only to prepare himself for his way into the Calvary and to the Cross but also for us to receive  new “paraklete” on the Pentecost, after his Ascension.

It is important to note here that the 7^th Sunday of Easter gospel reading ends with Jesus’ statement, “I am coming to you”(John 17:11).  Jesus’ statement of this nature, expressing his desire to be with us, is also found at the end of the Gospel reading for the Ascension, “I am with you always, until the end of the age”(Matthew 28:20). Such sentences are also found in the 6^th Sunday of Easter Gospel, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”(John 14:18) and in the 5^th Sunday of Easter Gospel, “I will come back again and take you to myself so that where I am you also may be” (John 14:3).

This indication of Jesus’ desire to stay with us, regardless of his physical presence in the world, is extremely important to appreciate the nature of “parakletos” as “para”(being intimately close) and “kaleo” (making a call). Throughout the Gospel readings from the 5^th Sunday on, Jesus has been consistentlyreminding us not only his “parakletos” nature as the first Advocate but also the same nature of the Holy Spirit, which is now called another (second) Advocate, “parakletos”.

Therefore, we are about to conclude the 50 days of Easter from the Resurrection, with the Pentecost, though the Ascension, as we now come to better understand the “parakletos” nature of Jesus and the Holy Spirit – the comforter, consoler, advocate, the power, the teacher, as well as the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) the Gate to the Father (John 10:7), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) – the eternal life of the resurrection (John 11:25).  As not only physical being but also spiritual being of all of these qualities, Jesus is always coming to us, to close to us, as our “parakletos”, as in flesh, the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and as in the Holy Spirit, always. We also now better understand that the “parakletos” nature of Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is a reflection of the Father’s “agape”, which binds the Son with the Father consubstantially (John 10:30). Therefore, as we are about to conclude Easter with Pentecost, we are also ready to celebrate the Trinity Sunday, which follows the Pentecost Sunday.

As we prepare ourselves to complete Easter, reflecting on the “parakletos”, in Jesus, the Son, and in the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father in heaven, let us listen to this beautiful Catholic hymn by David Haas.

This hymn begins singing, “I will come to you in the silence”.  Given that now is the transition time between Ascension and Pentecost, it is a good time to listen and sing this hymn, as we wait for and  prepare ourselves for Pentecost.  We know Jesus has assured us of the coming of second “parakletos”, the Holy Spirit, we still may feel anxious during this “waiting period”, though we are now definitely hopeful. As anxiety and hope are mixed in us, we take a lesson from the disciples in terms of how they spent this time.

The first reading for the 7^th Sunday (Acts 1:12-14) tells that the disciples spent this anxious and hopeful transition time between Ascension and Pentecost praying and praying in the Upper Room in Jerusalem.  They were praying perhaps silently while waiting to receive the descending Holy Spirit from the Father in heaven. Perhaps, this is like a quiet incubation period – getting ready for actions, called mission.

Let us be comforted and empowered by our “parakletos” to be sent out to make the disciples of all nations with “Ite, Mass Est”! 

Deus, Iesus, Magister Piscator! - God, Jesus, the Master Fisherman!

The Gospel reading for Friday in the Octave of Easter (Year A), John 21:1-14, reminds me of how I came to the Church.  In fact, to me, it speaks about how God “fished” me into the Church, as the Gospel story is about God, who is actually the best “fisherman”, far better than Peter the fisherman of the Sea of Tiberius.  But, the Johannine account reminds me of my own entrance into the Church because I view this story as a sequence to Luke 5:1-10, the Lucan narrative on how Jesus “fished” a bunch of fishermen of the Lake of Gennesaret, about 3 years prior to the time of the Johannine account. 

……………..

As Jesus was gaining the momentum in his newly launched public ministry in Galilee, as described in Luke 4: 14-44, he needed to have a bit of break. So, he just wanted go fishing for himself!  So, the following Lucan Gospel narrative, Luke 5: 1-11, is the story of Jesus “fishing”. In fact, he was “fishing” fishermen, including Peter (then, called Simon, because he did not figure out the messianic quality of Jesus yet).  

Well, actually, he did not go “fishing” for a vacation. In fact, this “fishing” he went was also a part of this teaching. I suppose that Jesus just wanted to spend his time more productively: teaching and “fishing”. 

Or, perhaps, Jesus just wanted to try doing his ministry from the surface of water, giving himself a break from teaching and healing on the ground.  So, he went to the Lake of Gannesaret , which John calls the Sea of Tiberius.  And, there, he saw two empty boats docked on the shore, and a bunch of fishermen washing their nets.  He must have arrived just when they were done with fishing for that day. 

But, it was exactly when Jesus’ “fishing” – plus teaching on and from the boat - began! 

Jesus is quite smart! He knew what he was doing. He sure knew how to deal with fishermen, perhaps reluctant fishermen, as he came to them when they were just done with frustrating fishing, getting none, in spite of fishing hard all night.  And, this Lucan Gospel tale tells that Jesus sure knew how to “fish” fishermen and turning them into “extraordinary fishermen”.  And, that’s how God “fished” me in!

…….

Seeing two empty boats docked on the shore, and fishermen cleaning their nets, Jesus invited himself into the head fisherman Peter’s boat and asked Peter to put the boats off shore.  So, Peter did what Jesus said. 

As the two boats got off shore, Jesus got into a teaching posture, which is sitting, as he did when he gave a long sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7), and began teaching to the crowds on the shore, as well as to the fishermen on the boats. 

When he finished teaching, Jesus commanded Peter to put his net into the deep water for a catch (Luke 5:4). But, Peter first responded with some reluctance, stating, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing” (Luke 5:5). 

That’s right. It was a bad day for Peter and his fellow fishermen, as their all-night hard work of fishing did not result in any catch at all. But, it was good that Peter tried as Jesus commanded, stating, “But at your command I will lower the nets” (Luke 5:5).

And, Peter got a net full of catch! And, the net was breaking (Luke 5:6)! So, the rest of the fishermen got to come and help. 

So, they managed to load Peter’s net-breaking catch of fish onto both boats. But, then, the boats began to sink due to the excessive weights of the fish (Luke 5:7)! 

With all of this happening, Peter became upset and acted as if he tried to reject Jesus, stating, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!”(Luke 5:8). But, he casted these seemingly rejecting words as he was on his knee at the foot of Jesus, showing his respect to him, while he and all other fishermen were totally consumed by their amazement at what Jesus did. 

 

Sensing the minds and hearts of Peter and his fellow fishermen,  Jesus tried calm Peter, stating, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men”(Luke 5:10), and got these anxious fishermen to follow him.

……..

This Lucan Gospel story (Luke 5:1-11) tells how Jesus recruited the core members of his followers, the Apostles. And,  he did it through not only his amazing teaching but, perhaps, more vividly, through his rather supernatural fishing skills, which put Peter and other expert fishermen in awe. 

In this Gospel story by Luke, the incarnated God, Jesus, used his own amazing fishing skills as a major bait to fish Peter, then called Simon. 

……

For me, after more than 1,950 years from this amazing “fishing” event by God in Jesus, the same God fished me with a different bait.

You see, I am not a fisherman, like Peter, though I like catching, filleting, cooking, making sushi with, and eating fish.  Yes, Jesus also loved to eat fish, as the Johannine Gospel story for Friday in the Octave of Easter Year A, John 21:1-14, suggests.  In this story, Jesus said to Peter and his fellow fishermen, while they had not yet caught any, “Children, have you caught anything to eat”(John 21:5).  And, he also said to them, after they caught abundantly, thanks to his fishing advice, “Bring some of the fish you just caught”(John 21:10) and hosted fish and bread breakfast for Peter and his fellow fishermen (John 21:12-13).  Also, in the Lucan story about how the resurrected Jesus appeared to the disciples in the Upper Room for the first time, Jesus asked anything to eat. In response, the disciples offered him boiled fish, and Jesus ate it (Luke 21:41-42). So, no doubt that Jesus loved eating fishing…not alone but with a bunch of people, perhaps, especially with fishermen! 

So, though God knew so well that I like eating fish and going fishing, He also knew so well that I had a crush on that girl, a very beautiful girl.  And, she was Catholic, unbeknownst to me, until my friend told me that she goes to the church he goes. 

As a young man, very much interested in a cute girl, my alarm went off, upon hearing that this girl I had a crush on was going to the church my friend was going. 

I am sure God knew that it was how I would react. 

To make a long story short, it was this beautiful girl I had a crush on, I crossed the threshold of the church inside. At first, I thought I was going to get to know her better in the church, which she valued. And, my ego at that time made me bold enough to ask a priest to teach me something about the Catholicism – so that I would become a good Catholic..no, actually, at that time, so that I could impress her with my knowledge of the religion that is so important to her.  Of course, the priest was so willing to teach me. And, he did not ask me why I was seeking to learn.  Perhaps, he thought that my motive was genuinely to learn about God through the Catholicism. 

You see, this beautiful girl was the bait that God used to “fish” me into His Church. So, I was not to get her.  And, I sure did not. Of course, it was quite disappointing. 

But, again, it was my ego at that time that did not make me quit learning about the Catholicism, even though I completely lost my reason to learn about the Catholicism and to be in the church she was going.  My ego made me afraid of looking bad, like a quitter. So, I did not quit. And, I would have felt so bad for the kind priest, who thought I wanted to become Catholic, and patiently taught me. So, a part of my motive to stick around to the teaching and the church she was going was my sense of obligation. 

And, after that bait, it was the Holy Spirit, which kept me on learning and in the Church. Then, I began to genuinely become interested in God and became a more lively catechumen.  And, I happily received the Sacrament of Baptism to officially get into the God’s Church and the Sacrament of Confirmation to seal my faith strong. 

So, this is how God fished me in and made me a follower to Him through Jesus the Son, in the name of Trinity. And, here I am, still with God, striving to serve this “fishermen” with all my heart, all my soul, with all my strength, and with all my mind, through the gifts that He has given me. 

I had never imagined myself getting “ fished” and becoming one of the “fishermen of men” of God the master fisherman, when I was lured by that bait that God the master fisherman put for me. 

And, according to Luke 5:10, Peter was made into a fisher of men as a result of getting fished by Jesus through a bait of Jesus’ awesome fishing abilities.  As for me, I was made into another fisher of men upon getting fished by God through a bait of that beautiful girl I had a crush on.

……….

Now, the Johannine Gospel story for Friday in the Octave of Easter Year A, John 21:1-14, is about Jesus returning to Peter and his fellow fishermen, after they deserted him. 

Before this Gospel story took place, Peter already witnessed that Jesus’ tomb was empty but did not understand what the empty tomb really meant (John 20:1-10).  So, Peter must have gone back to Galilee, the region where he came from, where there is the Sea of Tiberius (the Lake of Gannesaret) is.  And, it was the place where he use to fish and got “fished” by Jesus to become his follower as a fisher of men (Luke 5:1-11). 

Yes, Peter became the most vocal about his passionate love for Jesus, among the twelve apostles.  He even said, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny you"(Matthew 26:35), in response to Jesus’ prediction that he would betray him. 

Interestingly, when Peter vocally expressed his absolute loyalty to Jesus, in Matthew 26:35, the rest of the apostles at the Last Supper also said the same, following Peter (Matthew 26:35).  In fact, this pattern is found in the Johannine Gospel story, as it was Peter who said, “I am going fishing”, to be followed by the rest of his fellow fishermen saying, “We will also come with you”(John 21:3). 

Peter was a vocal initiator. And, the rest of his peers followed his lead. 

I am sure Jesus appreciated Peter’s such a character. But, it was not sufficient to be a true fisher of men for Jesus. 

So, Jesus had to come back to Peter, even he betrayed him three times and left him, and the rest of his peers also deserted Jesus completely, except for John, who managed to return to Jesus at the foot of his cross.

That is why Jesus had to redo his fishing – to do another fishing of Peter and his fellow fishermen, after he resurrected!  

So, while Luke 5:1-11 is the Jesus’ fishing story before his resurrection, John 21:1-14 is the Jesus’ fishing story after his resurrection. 

In a way, the former Gospel story of Jesus’ “fishing” of Peter and his fellow fishermen is like baptism.  And, as baptism is not good enough to be a true follower of Christ, and as confirmation is necessary to make our discipleship stronger, the latter Gospel story of the resurrected Jesus’ “fishing” of Peter and his fellow fishermen is like confirmation. 

Reflecting on my own story of getting fished by God, John 21:1-14 gives me an assurance, because it ascertains that fishing nets that God cast and keep never break, just as the Peter’s nets were not broken even though the weight of the fish was so great (John 21:11).  The nets were broken when Peter caught so many fish when he was fished for the first time (Luke 5:6). But, this time, the second time Jesus fished Peter, the nets were not broken at all.

This tells something so special about the risen Lord! 

Upon the Resurrection, it was not only Peter’s nets that became unbreakable, no matter how heavy the caught fish may be, but, more importantly, the nets of God the master fisherman are assured to be unbreakable.  What a great sense of security it is!

………….

As I was fished by God after Jesus was risen, it really assures me that the nets of God the master fisherman will never break. And, inside this unbreakable net is where the Kingdom of God is found, together with countless fish that God the master fisherman has caught! 

Once you get fished by God and put into His nets, you will know that it is better to be inside of His nets than just swimming on your own. 

And, I know that the girl I had a crush on, the bait that God used to fish me into his nets, is somewhere in His immeasurably great nets.