Today’s First Reading (Acts 4:1-12) addresses Peter’s courageously facing persecutors’ questioning on his works of Jesus and the Gospel Reading (John 21:1-14) describes how difficult it had been for the disciples to have the fact of Jesus’ resurrection settle in their hearts even with his third post-resurrection apparition.
Peter has spoken about Jesus and his Resurrection to
the bystanders of the disciples’ transformation on Pentecost, to those who were
astonished to see Peter healing a paralytic beggar. Now, as today’s First
Reading (Acts 4:1-12), he is boldly speaking about Jesus in connection to his
healing work to a beggar born paralyzed by the Beautiful Gate of the Temple (Acts
3:1-8), in response to their question to him, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”(Acts 4:7).
So, Peter said that he healed the beggar in the name
of Jesus the Nazarene whom they crucified (Acts 4:9-12; cf. Acts 3:6), without
fear and hesitation. This resembles the fact that Jesus explained that he
healed a paralyzed man by the Sheep Gate of the Temple as a work of the Father,
who sent him (John 5:17-47).
These were the very men, who put Jesus to be
crucified, and from whom Peter ran away out of fear (John 11:45-54; 18:1-19:16).
However, upon Pentecost, Peter had been filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:8)
and was not afraid to stand face-to-face with them.
Because he was free from fear, as empowered by the
Holy Spirit, Peter was able to sharply point out the evil and sin of them and
how God countered it, saying that they put Jesus to death but God raised him
from the dead (Acts 4:10). Peter was fully aware that saying this truth about
Jesus would irritate them enough to arrest him to put him to death as they did
so to Jesus. But, Peter remained totally free from fear. So, he further spoke
of the truth that is irksome and provoking, saying that Jesus, in whose name
Peter healed the paralytic beggar, and whom they killed, is the cornerstone,
they, the builders, rejected (Acts 4:11), referring to indicate that Jesus is
the fulfillment of Psalm 118:22 because of them.
This narrative on Peter’s confrontation with the
religious authority figures, whom he was afraid and who killed Jesus, is a
great testimony that the Holy Spirit, the power (Acts 1:8), empowered him to be
free from fear to speak of the truth about Jesus.
As we continue to celebrate the Resurrection of our
Lord Jesus, our Paschal transformation shall result in becoming like Peter, as
Paschaltide leads to Pentecost.
Speaking of Peter, he is featured also in today’s
Gospel Reading (John 21:1-14). In this Gospel narrative, Peter and his fishing
buddies among the disciples were back in Galilee from Jerusalem, just like
these old days before they met Jesus.
So, why did these disciples go back to Galilee?
Weren’t they supposed to stay in Jerusalem for Pentecost?
In fact, during the Last Supper, Jesus said to the
disciples that he would go to Galilee ahead of them after being raised from the
dead (Matthew 26:32). And, the angel, whom the women at the empty tomb of Jesus
said them of this to relay to the rest of the disciples (Matthew 28:7), and
risen Jesus himself directly said of this to the women as he appeared to them
while they were on their way to tell the rest of the disciples (Matthew 28:10).
Therefore, the fact that these disciples, including
Peter, were back in Galilee, does not mean that they lost their interest in
Jesus.
And, this was after Peter and other disciples met
with risen Jesus twice in the Upper Room in Jerusalem in the night time (John
20:19-29). So, they were to see him again in Galilee.
Perhaps, Peter and the rest of the disciples back in
Galilee spent some time not seeing risen Jesus there. So, Peter must have been
wondering how to fill such blank hours of not seeing Jesus. And, he decided to
fill his hours by going fishing – just as he used to fish to make living – and the
rest joined him in fishing.
Peter was a skilled and experienced fisherman of
Galilee. So, he was supposed to have a great catch – right?
But, Peter and the rest caught nothing – no fish at
all – in spittle of toiling with net all night long.
Then, a man on the shore was asking them if they had
caught any and telling them to put the net over the right side of the boat.
Then, they netted a great number of fish to the point of not being able to pull
– even by seven men!
This man standing on the shore, telling to where to
cast the net, is risen Jesus, who said to see them in Galilee. And he is
standing on the shore of the See of Tiberius (See of Galilee).
But, at first they did not recognize it was risen
Jesus, whom they were to see in Galilee.
Why did they fail to recognize risen Jesus in
Galilee, even though they had already seen in Jerusalem twice?
When they saw him in Jerusalem, it was night time –
on the day of his resurrection and the following Sunday. But, this time in Galilee,
risen Jesus appeared at dawn, . So, why were they blind to him?
Early morning fog over the water? Perhaps. But, even
that is the case, Peter, James, and John, were fishermen. So, they should be
able to recognize things even in a foggy condition.
So, what really prevented them from recognizing risen
Jesus, standing on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius – the Sea of Galilee, from
the boat?
Probably, their frustration and preoccupation with
the fact that they caught no fish at all. They were not happy to be in a
situation that should not be. They were psychological concerned about
themselves.
But, the fact that the disciples caught no fish –until
risen Jesus instructed where to put the net – symbolically teaches that they
could not return to their old way of life, which is fishing to make living.
They had already crucified their old way of life with Jesus on the Cross and
had been living to God ever since Jesus’ resurrection (i.e. Romans 6:11). But,
psychologically, they still had some attachment to their old life. That is why
they were so preoccupied about not catching any.
After they met and spent 3 years with Jesus and upon
his death and resurrection, the disciples were no longer able to return to
their old life styles. However, they caught the net full of fish – it was because
of risen Jesus.
It tells that they can do great things with risen
Jesus from that time on – and even after he ascended because of the Holy Spirit
on Pentecost. The fact that they made a great catch upon risen Jesus’
instruction symbolically indicates that the disciples would do great missionary
work as fishers of men (i.e. Matthew 4:19), as told by Jesus when they met by
the same sea 3 years ago.
Then, finally, by God’s grace, John began to
recognize risen Jesus. At that moment, Peter tucked his garment and jumped in
the sea, rushing to risen Jesus on the shore. And the rest followed on the boat,
drugging the net so heavy with fish.
In this interesting contrast between Peter and John,
we can see that Peter is a man of action, while John is more of a man of
recognition. It was how they were when they came to the empty tomb, as Peter
entered the tomb first but it was John who believed first (John 20:3-10).
Then, risen Jesus asked them to bring some of the
fish that they caught and to have breakfast with them. And Jesus already
prepared the bread before they brought fish.
The provider of the bread to share is Jesus, as he
himself is the living bread of life (John 6:51). And, under his instruction,
the disciples were able to provide fish to share. But, without Jesus, they
would not have been unable to provide, as they had caught no fish until he
instructed.
Having bread and fish by the Sea of Tiberius (Sea of
Galilee) evokes the memory of Jesus multiplying five loaves and two fish to fee
the great multitude (Matthew 14:13-21//Mark 6:31-44//Luke 9:12-17; John
6:1-14). But, this breakfast is more intimate fellowship gathering in Galilee
after meeting twice in the Upper Room, where Jesus hosted the Last Supper, in
Jerusalem.
John does not say that Jesus broke the bread at this
seashore breakfast. This suggests that it was because the disciples already
recognized risen Jesus, upon John’s recognition, before they reached the shore.
But, John is quite specific about the condition of the disciple’s great catch:
153 large fish to fill the net so heavy to haul but the net was not broken
(John 21:11).
It is believed that the number, 153, represents the total number of nations at that time. Catching 153 large fish, therefore, suggests that the disciples were bound to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) as fishers of men (i.e. Matthew 4:11). And, the fact that net was not broken even though the weight of the catch exceeds the normal capacity of the net indicates the strength of the Church, in which the disciples they make all over the world are put.
So, the Gospel Reading today (John 21:1-14) reminds
that we are also sent out on mission as fishers of men to make disciples in all
nations – to all the ends of the earth, by showing how great Jesus through the
Word and our deeds in the mighty name of Jesus, as Peter upon Pentecost did, as
we have been reflecting from the First Readings during Paschal Octave. The Gospel text also tells us that we must be
fully convinced of Jesus’ resurrection through our personal encounter with
risen Jesus, keeping him in us to share in our encounter with those whom to “fish”. The glory of Jesus, who is in us now, shall
be the great bait for our missionary “fishing” to make disciples.
Paschaltide is a preparation period for us to make a great catch upon Pentecost, working to show the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ, free from fear.
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