In this post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples, Jesus is calling them once again, as he did at the beginning of his ministry, to follow him. They are doing the same they were doing when Jesus first called them--fishing. Isn't it funny how God calls us, not while we're in church or immersed in a blissful, prayerful meditation, but when we are carrying out the mundane activities of our seemingly mundane lives. Better yet, Christ calls in the midst of our failure.
The disciples are fishing and haven't caught anything, and then a figure from shore suggests they try on the other side of the boat. They do and bring in a hugh catch. It's then that they recognize it is Jesus.
Peter, always the first one out of the boat, can't wait to row back to shore with all this fish, so he jumps in and swims to shore, leaving his buddies to wrestle with the fish. Jesus has prepared a fish breakfast for them (Eucharist?). Over breakfast, Peter and Jesus have the necessary conversation. You know the meetings you have with people who you've disappointed or had a disagreement with or an out-and-out fight with. This was one of those awkward conversations. Made more awkward by Jesus and Peter's inability, at least a first, to get on the same page.
Jesus asks Peter three times if Peter loves him. The first two times he uses the Greek word agape for love--you know, that divine, sacrificial kind of love. Peter responds, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Peter uses the Greek word phile for love--brotherly, friendship kind of love. Finally, the last time, Jesus also uses phile when he asks Peter if Peter loves him. And Peter responds that he does, using phile.
Maybe in the moment of reconciliation with the one who has denied him, Jesus was expecting too much. Maybe Peter was offering all the love he good give, though it wasn't perfect. I think Jesus finally was saying, Ok, whatever, Peter. That's good enough. Just follow me.
It doesn't take some miraculous, intense faith or love to follow Jesus and to feed his sheep. Whatever faith you can muster at the moment will do the trick. Thankfully.
Isn't it interesting that you said, “ Better yet, Christ calls in the midst of our failure.” In the midst of our failure seems to be our most vulnerable times in our lives. These are the times when our hearts are naturally yearning for God's presence,
ReplyDeleteWe agree as a church community to walk together to discuss our experiences of God. It's easier to share God views in the positive times. A church proves itself with the willingness to provide a supportive place in the difficult times to talk about God. Last weekend I heard a similar comment by Walter Brueggemann, the emeritus PC(USA) Columbia Seminary professor. He felt churches were fulfilling their role if they could make a welcome place for those who feel like expressing the hurt and distress in the “cursing Psalms.” Those Psalms are not part of our lectionary, as a sermon is required to explain their inclusion in the canon. When he teaches these Psalms, he asks the class to imagine who might be voicing or writing with such feeling. Invariably, a destitute or out of luck person is envisioned.
ReplyDeleteInviting these people into church activities Brueggemann stated, is difficult for most churches. When the numbers game or other tangential goals take precedence, helping the lost, left out, and the least becomes undoable. He stated that views of God as a result of those distressing times can be revealing for both the person in distress as well as the person providing hospitality.
Yes, most of those Psalms don't make it into lectionary, except Psalm 22 on Good Friday: "My Gog, My God, why have your forsaken me?"
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