By the lakeside you renewed your call to your disciples

I have always enjoyed sitting by water of any kind — rivers, lakes, gravel pits, or the sea — and probably don’t do it often enough nowadays. For me, it’s a great way to become aware of the presence of God, through the beauty of his created world. I very nearly took up fishing once, just for the excuse it would’ve given to sit by the water for hours at a time, absorbing the peace of God which passes all understanding.

But when the disciples met with Jesus by the lakeside after that first Easter (John 21:1-19), it would not have been the peaceful event I describe. Jesus was dead. Their dear friend and leader, the person they’d invested all their hopes in, was dead. They must’ve been completely devastated, and probably only went fishing because they just didn’t know what else to do.

They’d worked hard all night, but to no avail, and were heading back to shore. Nothing was going right for them, and I imagine they must have been extremely depressed. As they approached shore they saw a man standing watching them. As happened in many of the resurrection stories, they didn’t recognize him immediately. But this stranger encouraged them to do something a little differently, shift their position so to speak. Perhaps they thought he could see something from his vantage point that they couldn’t. But, whatever the reason, they followed his advice, and caught a huge net-full of fish. It was then that they realized who it was on the beach.

And when they finally hauled their catch to shore, Jesus welcomed them with a warm fire and breakfast cooking. That must have been an incredible welcome for those disciples, cold and wet as they were. I can imagine the turmoil their emotions were going through.

One of the things that grabs my attention in this story is that Jesus didn’t really mention the huge catch of fish. Apart from a few fish to add to what was cooking on the fire for them all to eat, nothing is said about them. They were a gift; freely given for the disciples to do with as they would, there were no pre-conditions, no strings attached, nothing — just a gift.

After they’d eaten their breakfast, after they’d been given the gift of a huge catch of fish, Jesus asked Peter, three times, if he loved him. And in doing so, renewed Peter’s calling, and through him the rest of the disciples’, and even our calling too — theirs, and our, calling to love and care for our fellow human beings.

Maybe when we truly recognize, and act on, that calling, that vocation, we might be able to bring others to warm themselves in the fire of Jesus’ love.

Risen Christ,
by the lakeside you renewed your call to your disciples:
help your Church to obey your command
and draw the nations to the fire of your love,
to the glory of God the Father.

Additional Collect for The Sixth Sunday of Easter
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council