Cast your nets

 ‘…Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some… (John 21:5)

John 21:1-19 (Year C: Easter +3)

                                          Pacman

No picnic

Chapter 21 of the gospel of John is like an addendum – an important one at that.  Unique to the fourth gospel we encounter the Risen Christ on the lakeshore. Yet, it bears an extraordinary resemblance to the pre-resurrection story of the miraculous catch of fish found in Luke 5:1-10.  Back in Luke 5 we hear of the first call of disciples in the context of fishing where they had worked all night and had caught nothing.  Then in another pre-resurrection story found in Matthew 14:22-23 we read of Peter walking on the water while there was a storm on the lake.  In each story, Peter plays a vital role based on God’s initiative and the this disciple’s response in faith/trust. To some extent every Christian disciple can see a Peter character in themselves.

There is a tender, compassionate and tragic conversation between Jesus and Peter in which three professions of loyalty and love seal Peter’s fate and matches his betrayal three times earlier when the cock crowed on the morning of Good Friday.    The passage ends with a very telling and simple point – ‘Follow me’ (v. 19).

Even if the addition of John 21 was a measured attempt to reinstate Peter after his disgraceful betrayal on Good Friday the closing chapter of John offers a daunting challenge to anyone who might follow the example of Peter.  Essentially, the resurrection story is that all will end well in the all-ness of time but for the foreseeable future following Jesus is no picnic especially if someone has a role of leading entrusted to them.

The sea of Tiberias

John is given to numbers – seven disciples by the Lake that day,100 metres from the shore, 153 fish, three affirmations as well as times and seasons – night, daybreak, as well as food sharing – a breakfast of bread and fish.  The resurrection stories we hear in the four gospels have a common thread – human endeavour, pain and struggle are followed by a surprise visit, an experience of peace and joy, and then a sign and a commissioning. John, in the very final chapter of the fourth gospel, tells of the disciples fishing on the ‘Sea of Tiberias’ or the Sea of Galilee which is approximately two thirds of the size of Lough Neagh in Ireland. This area plays an important role in the life and ministry of Jesus. This is where the first disciples were called and where many of Jesus’ early miracles were performed.  It is also where many of the early followers of Jesus made their living.   Water is never far from these stories whether at the baptism of Jesus or the calming of the storm on the sea or in this post-resurrection scene. 

Taking time out back on home ground

The disciples were struggling. They were shell-shocked after the terrible events leading up to Jesus’ execution.  They were still coming to terms with the experience of meeting the Risen Jesus. But, they also needed to eat! And, Peter needed to get out there and get on with their work. There was no point in remaining holed up in some cave or room back in Jersalem which, by now, would have been a dangerous place for followers of rabbi Jesus.  The fishermen that Jesus called were back on home ground away from the trauma of Jerusalem and yet, in a strange way, back to where it all started one day when they were fishing. What human feelings of loss, nostalgia and thankfulness must have been their’s as they were constantly reminded of those early days in that very place full of memories and signs and extraordinary happenings and inner joy they had never known before.

Discouragement on the journey

Back to now. They fished all night and caught nothing. Sounds familiar? (see Luke 5:1-11).  We, too, can labour all day and all night and see little return or impact from what we do.  Those charged with leadership and particular service in the Christian community may experience long periods of feeling useless, ineffective or, worse still, weighed down by guilt leading to despair. Why is there no yield? Why will nobody listen? Is it my fault? Is ‘their’ fault? Why do we seem, in places, to be dying as a community clinging to structures and customs like ship-wrecked persons clinging to flotsam as the boat slips down?

When all seems lost, dark, pointless and arid we are challenged to put our trust in the unseen Lord, the ever present Friend and the silent Guest who watches us – as it were – from the shore.  But, they did not recognise this Friend at first. They needed to go to spiritual specsavers!  Alas, the Spiritual Specsaver was there in front of them and as soon as he was recognised Peter characteristically dived into the water.  Far be it from anyone to presume on a ‘miraculous catch’ here and now or any other time.  But, if we hold on in faith and hope to our call as we understand and follow it and as others have affirmed it then we can be confident that God will direct us in some good way. As someone tweeted the other day within the constraint of 140 characters:

Don’t give up on the things that God has placed in your heart; keep pushing and praying He will direct you

Someone stands near us

‘Just after daybreak’ (v. 4) when the Sun had come up in the East the Son of true Light who is risen stood on the shore. And he stands on our shore.

What awaited the disciples when they came ashore was a hearty breakfast of bread and fish. Bread is at the centre of Jesus’ teaching and ministry and in the sacramental life we touch and see water, bread, wine and oil and much more besides. There is no limit to the creativeness of God revealed in Jesus. And we may note that the fish cooked that morning was supplied, at least in part, by the disciples earlier when they cast their nets.  We bring our gifts to the table because our ‘gifts’ have been ‘gifted’ by others or Another.

There is something hugely significant in the final words addressed to Peter (v. 18):

But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.

And John adds the observation that Jesus (v. 19):

.. said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.

Here, there is a clear prophecy of what lies before Peter in terms of martyrdom and suffering.  But, we can also apply this in a somewhat modern setting characterised by much longer life expectancy because the reality of growing old and been led somewhere in the care of others is the experience of not a few as families deal with dementia and other gradually incapacitating conditions.  While we do not know what lies ahead for each of one us we can be confident of God’s presence and love for each one of us no matter what happens. He is there, always, for us just as he stood on the shore watching and inviting and hosting and re-affirming and sending us out.