Fish or Follow?

Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter

By Deacon Thomas Stephenson

April 10, 2016

For most of the year, our first reading on Sunday is from the Old Testament. But from Easter Sunday through Pentecost, the first reading comes from the Acts of the Apostles, and today we have heard about Peter and other apostles being brought before the high priest and the council because they had been preaching about Jesus and in His name. As is often the case, I encourage you to read the rest of Chapter 5 to get a better understanding of what is happening. The high priest, Caiaphas, had arrested Peter and some of the apostles and put them in prison, but an angel released them and they went back to the temple. When the high priest and the council again speak to Peter, they won’t even say the name of Jesus, only saying “we gave you orders not to teach in this name”. Peter makes a strong defense for what he has done, and he and the other apostles are let go with a warning not to speak in the name of Jesus, a warning which they, of course, ignore.

But the courageous Peter of the first reading is not quite the Peter we see in the Gospel. Last week, we heard the story of Jesus appearing to the disciples twice, the second time when Thomas was with them, and how these appearances confirmed their belief. Despite what they have experienced, though, they still don’t seem to grasp what they should be doing. Jesus had given Peter the position of leadership, and how does he lead the others? Is he helping them to be “fishers of men”? Proclaiming the Gospel? These men had left their nets to follow Jesus, so why are they now going fishing? Peter certainly does lead them; he tells them he is going fishing, and they go along with him. This isn’t for a relaxing day of fishing for trout at a quiet stream; they go out in the boat with the large nets, just like they would have done before Jesus called them. Instead of going forward, they are falling backward. Instead of rising to the new challenge of building the Church, Peter is returning to his former, familiar way of life.

And what happens when they try to fish as they once did? Nothing. Their efforts produce no catch, absolutely zero fish. It is at this moment that Jesus appears to them, and when they follow His instructions and let down the net on the other side of the boat, the catch is so large they can barely manage it. It was in doing as Jesus instructed that they were successful.

Now, these men were not being intentionally disobedient to Jesus when they went back to fishing, but in doing so, they had lost sight of what they were called to do. So Jesus needed to gently remind them, to get them back on the right path. He appears to them, but on the shore – they have to come in from where they are, they have to come to Him. Aren’t we in the same situation sometimes? Do we lose sight of what we should be doing, of how we should be answering the Lord’s call? Do we need a reminder of some sort to get ourselves back on the right path? The type of reminder will be different of each of us, and may even vary at different times of our lives. Whatever form that reminder may take, you can be sure that Jesus is behind it, and offering us His forgiveness and mercy if we come to Him.

In the dialogue between Jesus and Peter, we see the gentleness of Jesus’ mercy and forgiveness. Jesus does not rebuke Peter, but asks him three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter’s three affirmations of his love for Jesus obviously parallel his previous three denials of even knowing Jesus, right down to the detail that Peter’s denials in the courtyard of the high priest, and also his professions of love on the shore, took place near a charcoal fire. Jesus elicits sincere answers from the heart of Peter. After each of Peter’s responses, Jesus tells him to “Feed my lambs…tend my sheep…feed my sheep”. He helps Peter understand his love for the Lord, and then reminds him of his responsibilities to Jesus and to the Church.

Jesus also gently and mercifully calls us to Himself. In this Jubilee Year of Mercy, we are invited to recognize more deeply God’s mercy for us, and to realize how that mercy and forgiveness is so readily available to us, especially in the sacrament of Reconciliation. This special year should also serve to remind us that as the Lord shows us mercy, we, too, are called to show mercy to others, especially in the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. That means we should be aware of all these works, and show mercy to others in these ways whenever we have the opportunity to do so, not just doing one of them and saying we are done. In a few minutes, we will see a short video relating to one of the Corporal Works of Mercy, to Shelter the Homeless. It is part of our responsibility as Catholics to help those people who have no place to go. That does not necessarily mean inviting a homeless person into your home, although it might mean that for some of us. But all of us can volunteer at the Shepherds of Good Hope or the Union Mission, or donate to a shelter or other group that helps the homeless or refugees, and certainly we can pray for those who find themselves in difficult circumstances. As with all the works of mercy, in serving others, we serve the Lord.

Jesus has called us, and He continues to call us to come closer to Him, to love Him more and more. Let us answer His call with the words “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you”, and follow Him as He asks.