When You Let Him In

The Gospel of the 3^rd Week of Easter Sunday (Year C) presents a situation where the apostles (in particular, Peter), seem to be going through some form of guilt crisis. In the previous chapter, St. John describes how the Risen Lord made various appearances to the disciples, both individually and communally. Yet this Sunday, he begins by stating that Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples, and adds that He revealed Himself in this way (John 21:1).

From Evangelizers to Anglers

The disciples of Jesus were together. St. John does not say what they were doing or what they were talking about. Nonetheless, there were seven disciples all together, with two who were not named (…must be you and I). And then Peter decided to lead the whole lot on a dangerous downward spiral that was likely to cause them to backslide from the Way of the Lord. They were earlier called to become fishers of people (Matthew 4:19), but here they were returning to their previous vocation of fishing in the Sea of Tiberius. The result of their night-time fishing expedition was that they caught nothing. St. John does not speak about the night’s happenings on the boat. I can only imagine how this lot must have been deeply emotionally negative. The Lord had done all that needed to be done for our salvation by faith, yet the disciples still fell back to their capabilities. Perhaps, they had forgotten the promises He had made and needed to be reminded.

Look into the Light

As the day was breaking, the Lord Jesus appeared on the shore but the disciples did not know it was He. So, what had changed? What was preventing them from seeing the Lord (light of the world) as they ought? They surely had come to know Jesus as a friend who always walked with them. Why did they now not recognize Him? The issue here is that they were still engulfed in the darkness of their hearts, which could not see the light that had come into the world. The Lord then initiated a conversation with them (to awaken them from their spiritual slumber), and instructed them on what to do. At least they heeded His counsel and were unable to haul in the net because of the great quantity of fish now caught (John 21:6). When they relied on their skills, they caught nothing; but when they let Him in, they could not haul in the net that was filled with fish. We must remember that apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). When you let Him in, you inevitably find your life (Matthew 16:24-25). Contradicting as it sounds, you will only find life when you quit pursuing it. In other words, when you stop chasing the things that you think will bring you life and instead pursue the Creator of Life, you will discover life as it was designed to be (John 10:10).

Reacting in Faith and Responding in Love

That disciple whom Jesus loved (Is this John, you or me?) realized the presence of the Lord and promptly shared this revelation with Peter ( John 21:7). The beloved disciple knew and recognized Him who called him in love to follow Him correctly; thus, he responded to the Lord Jesus in a praiseworthy manner. On his part, St. Peter expressed confusion, doubt, and misunderstanding. He, who was stripped for work, suddenly felt his nakedness (vulnerability) and promptly put on his outer garment (gained confidence), and threw himself overboard (eagerness to meet the Lord). Wait a minute! He had saved this garment from getting wet and now he jumps fully clothed into the sea? There is a boat to take him to shore but he opts to do the more tiring activity of swimming ashore? What changed? Indeed, nothing had changed! What was at display was St. Peter’s unquestionable devotion. St. Peter reacted in faith to the sudden appearance of so many fish which made an obvious identification of the man standing on the shore as the Lord Jesus ( Luke 5:8). He also dramatically responded in love and abandoned the ship for the others to do the hard work of hauling in the overloaded net. He had other urgent heart matters to tend to, and the Master (whom he loved ever so deeply) was waiting onshore. His troubled self needed to let Him in again, and this is where it was going to happen….that is before He disappeared again!

The Perfect Catch and  the Perfect Service    

All the disciples got to shore and found there a fire going. They noticed that everything had been prepared, and some fish and bread were already cooking. Nonetheless, the Lord asked for some fish to add to the menu, and the captain went to get it. He hauled the net to land and counted a total of 153 large fish in an intact net! The 153 points to the full harvest of the whole world (universal evangelization). But this also reminds us of the assuring words of Jesus to all Peters of the world, that no matter what the circumstance might be, He will not send away those who come to Him (John 6:37). When we come to Him, we find Him waiting with open arms.

This invitation is likewise extended to everyone, and the acceptance is for all who follow Him. When you let Him in, the charcoal fire is made ready and the meal is prepared and served to you. The Lord Jesus then invited them to partake of the breakfast that He had prepared. There are many invitations of the Lord Jesus recorded in scripture: Come and you will see (John 1:39), come and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28), come and you will learn (Matthew 11:29), come and rest awhile (Mark 6:31), come and inherit (Matthew 25:34), and now, come and have breakfast (John 21:12). He invites them and no one ventures to ask Him to prove Himself to them because they knew it is Him. Nevertheless, there is solemnity and significance in His manner that indicates Him to be the provider for all their needs/wants.

The Discomforting Thoughts

And so, they ate in the presence of the Lord, but perhaps in silent self-humiliation. St. Thomas wondered to himself how he could have dared to ask for proof (imprinted nails and touching the cut flesh) of such clear facts (John 20:25). St. Peter looked at that fire of coals with tears in his eyes, remembering how he had followed him at a distance into the courtyard of the high priest, and sat with the guards while warming himself at the fire (Mark 14:54). St. Nathanael remembered his first meeting with Jesus when the Lord prophesied that he would see greater things than these (John 1:50). The sons of Zebedee remembered the garden of Gethsemane and how they could not stay awake and keep watch for just one hour (Matthew 26:40 & Luke 22:46). All of them felt that they could shrink into nothingness in His divine Presence. What about you and me? In what ways have we behaved so ill towards the Lord that we can only look into the burning coals? What happens when He invites us to dine with Him by the fire? What do we think about it? Have we let Him in, yet?

A Public Restoration

Breakfast was over, and it was time to have that talk. According to St. John, the Lord Jesus addressed Simon Peter directly. Of course, this was not the first personal meeting between the Resurrected Lord and St. Peter (Luke 24:34, 1 Corinthians 15:5). But He referred to him as Simon, son of John. This reminded Peter in a rather subtle way that he had not stood firm as the established rock in faithfulness to the Lord Jesus. This must have been disheartening to St. Peter. To make it even worse, the Lord asked him if he could compare his love to the love that the other disciples had for Him? After all, Peter had made such a claim in the past (Matthew 26:33). Did St. Peter still have that proud estimation of his love and devotion to Jesus or did he love his fisherman’s life more? The Lord already knew the answer, but St. Peter needed to examine his inner self and answer it to himself.

St. Peter answered and confirmed his philia love. His heart was open to the Lord Jesus, and the Lord knew that as a sinful human being, St. Peter loved Him with the very best love that he was capable of. That being the case, the Lord, even so, asked Him to “tend my lambs”  (John 21:15c). Then a second time He asked and then instructed him to “shepherd my sheep” (John 20:16b). St. Peter was to demonstrate his love of the Lord by tending the lambs and feeding the sheep of the Lord (not Peter’s own). It would not be enough for him to merely offer bread to the congregation of the Lord. He was to take care of them properly; attend to them; regulate them, and guide them. St. Peter understood that this commission was extended to the other disciples as well as to all their successors in the Christian Ministry….

Until the Lord asked Him a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” (John 21:17a). St. Peter was grieved because he understood the significance of the three-fold question. This love should be more than persuasion and a deep feeling of his personal love. Although Peter believed that he loved Jesus, he still relied on Jesus’ knowledge of all things. He understood that the Lord Jesus knew him better than he knew himself (Matthew 6:8). And He challenged St. Peter to love. The Lord likewise challenges each one of us, not primarily for obedience or repentance; not for vows or for conduct; but for a loving heart. When all this is done, the rest will fall in place. St. Peter had to squarely face his point of failure in the presence of the other disciples to be restored as the rock in the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus.

Eyes Set on the Work Ahead

Having been so restored, the Lord Jesus then challenged Peter to set his eyes on the work that was ahead (John 21:18-19). Truly, truly, I tell you…Closing words were said with such great assurance so that they would most certainly be remembered. In his younger days, St. Peter had less responsibility and could do more of what he pleased. In his future life, another would gird him and take him to places that he would not want to go. In that place, he would no longer be a master of his movements. His restraint would be with hands stretched out. St. Peter must have understood what this meant – that he would die on a cross! Shocking and yet assuredly that this time when he faced the cross again, he would embrace it in utter faithfulness to his Lord and Messiah. As St. Paul teaches, indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12); but the Lord speaks blessings on the persecuted (Matthew 5:10–11).

The last words that the Lord speaks to St. Peter are “Follow me!” Earlier on, the Lord called Peter to follow Him (Matthew 4:18-19). Peter knows this following means bearing a certain cross. And he is challenged once again to follow his Messiah, Teacher, and Lord. But the Lord now placed Peter in the same category as Himself – to spend his life for God and ultimately to sacrifice his life to glorify God (John 12:27-32 & John 13:31). Irrespective of what would happen, St. Peter was to keep on following the Lord. In the past, he had followed at a distance (Mark 14:54); but for the future, he was to follow steadfastly in the ways of the Lord.

Take-Home

When you let Jesus in, you too will be strengthened in your inner being with power through His Spirit. And Christ will dwell in your heart through faith. And you, being rooted and established in love, will have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is. You will experience this love that surpasses knowledge and be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). But, you must let Him in!

All Bible quotations are from NASB.