GOSPEL POWER APRIL 9, 2021 - FRIDAY

Gospel: Jn 21:1-14 

 Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias;  and he showed himself in this way.  Gathered there together were  Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,  the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.  Simon Peter  said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go  with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they  caught nothing.  Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples  did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, “Children, you  have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.”  He said to them,  “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”  So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there  were so many fish.  That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It  is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put  on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea.  But the  other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they  were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.  When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there,  with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the  fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and  hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them;  and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to  them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to  ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus  came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with  the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the  disciples after he was raised from the dead.

REFLECTION

The Gospel of John, except for the final chapter, is silent  about the occupation of Peter and his companions. Our  knowledge that they are fishermen is supplied to us by  the other Gospels. The post-resurrection fishing episode of today’s  Gospel does not mean to tell us that Peter has gone back to his  old occupation, rather, it is a symbolic portrayal of the post-Easter  mission of the Church. The futile overnight fishing implies that, apart from the risen Lord, human effort amounts to nothing. But with the  risen Lord directing the mission, and the missionaries submitting to him,  success is certain. The description of Peter dragging ashore the great  catch of fish significantly employs the same Greek verb (helkein)  with which the evangelist describes how the Father “draws” people  to Jesus (6:44) and how Jesus will “draw” all to himself when he is  lifted up from the earth (12:32). The risen Christ, now embodied by  the believers, continues to be the “Lord of the mission.”

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, keep us aware that the result of our missionary efforts does  not depend on us, but on you, who are the protagonist of the Church’s  mission. Amen.