Homily — 3^rd Sunday of Easter, Year C (2004)

Fr. Timothy W. Castor

We have come now to the Third Sunday of Easter, and we have just heard what Saint John tells us is the third appearance of Jesus to his disciples. The first two, you’ll remember, were both in Jerusalem, behind closed doors and at night. Jesus first appeared to his disciples on Easter Sunday night and the second time was one week later in the same room and at the same time of day. This third appearance is quite different. First of all, we don’t know how much later it occurred. Was it a week? A month? The Gospel doesn’t say. But more importantly, it happened in Galilee, far to the north of Jerusalem, out in the open and early in the morning. It just goes to show that Jesus will make himself known to us when and where he wants; he is not bound to any predetermined pattern of behavior.

But why were the Disciples in Galilee anyway? Well, remember what the angel told the women at the empty tomb: "go and tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him’". So, they went to Galilee apparently hoping to find Jesus there. And yet—despite the empty tomb, despite the visits they had already received from the Lord—they seem to be disappointed. We can detect a note of discouragement—even despair—in Peter’s words, "I’m going fishing." This is all the more heartbreaking when we remember how Peter first met Jesus. Peter and his brother Andrew were busy fishing in the Sea of Galilee when Jesus called them, and what did he say? "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." For three years, Jesus taught and trained Peter and the others to be just that: fishers of men. But now Peter seems to be throwing it all away and starting over again. Was it because of the crucifixion? Maybe, but the disciples already know that Jesus rose from the dead: they saw the empty tomb; they even saw the Lord himself, twice. I think there’s a deeper reason why Peter seems to be giving up: he remembers something else that happened the night before Christ’s death: and what a bitter memory it is. Three times he denied having known Jesus of Nazareth—three times he could have stood up for the Lord he loved so much, and three times, out of fear and shame, he backed down. Quite probably, he believes the Lord will never forgive him. He’s gone to Galilee to see the Lord; but once he get’s there, he’s not sure he’s done the right thing. So he decides to go back to the one thing he knows how to do: fish.

But this plan doesn’t turn out very well either! All night they work hard and catch nothing. And then, de ja vu. Early in the morning, a figure appears on the shore and tells them to cast their net on the other side of the boat. When they catch a huge shoal of fish, John, the beloved disciple, figures it out right away: This is just like Luke chapter 5! Remember the story? This happened shortly after Peter first met Jesus:

While the people pressed upon [Jesus] to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And he saw two boats by the lake ... Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled  both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

It’s now years later, and Jesus gives a repeat performance. John instantly identifies the strange figure on the shore. He turns to Peter and says, "It is the Lord!" Suddenly, filled with courage and joy, Peter jumps into the sea in order to reach the shore first. Perhaps he also wanted to show the Lord that he really meant business this time about giving up fishing to follow him.

What awaits Peter and the disciples on the beach is something beautiful in its simplicity: a nice, hot breakfast—a sign that our Lord’s mercy toward us extends to every aspect of our lives. But the bread and fish are also a reminder of Jesus’ earlier miracles of feeding the multitudes, thereby giving the disciples further assurance that this indeed is the Lord. Notice, however, that Christ invites the men to add some of their fish to the meal, to show that we must always cooperate with God’s grace for it to be fully effective in our lives.

What happens next is a scene of utter tenderness and love. Remember how we speculated that perhaps Peter despaired of the Lord’s forgiveness because he had denied him three times? Well now Jesus dispels every fear, every doubt, from Peter’s mind and shows him the depth of his mercy. Three times he asks Peter, "Do you love me?" and three times he reinstates Peter to his ministry of chief shepherd: "Feed my lambs … Tend my sheep … Feed my sheep." And, as if that were not enough, he foretells Peter’s glorious martyrdom, just as he had foretold his shameful denial.

The Gospel reading closes with a beautiful invitation: "Follow me." It is the same invitation our Lord uttered when he first found Peter and Andrew casting their nets in the sea: "Follow me." And it is the same invitation he extends to each one of us: "Follow me." Next Sunday is the world day of prayer for vocations. On that day, our focus in prayer will be that more young men and women will respond to the call of God and follow him by serving the church in the priesthood or the consecrated life. But it’s worth reminding ourselves today that, indeed, we all have a vocation—each one of us. We are called to follow Christ in holiness of life, regardless of what our state in life might be. May the Lord help us to open our hearts to the question he asked of St. Peter, "Do you love me?" And to open our ears to his sweet invitation, "Follow me."

© 2004, The Rev. Timothy W. Castor