Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 21, 1-14

Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

The Risen Christ

1. A fallen Church. We see that the disciples were discouraged and depressed, nothing seemed to go well. Those are the days when everything seems to be falling apart. You feel lonely, tired, and defeated. Your head becomes your worst enemy, and you do not recognize God. You find it hard to see God when you are going through one of those days. Where are you, God? And God is there, but you don’t recognize Him. The disciples felt Jesus had left them and were down and hopeless.

2. Cast the net. Jesus points out, shows, guides. He knows about failure; even about that particular failure in what the apostles were experts at: fishing. They must have felt it was one of those moments when not a single thing goes right. Often, everything comes out wrong, doesn’t it? It seems everything is against you. But Jesus shows them where they have to go, what they have to do. Only then do they see and recognize him. This changes them completely. They recognize Jesus because they go from being unsuccessful, to having abundance. This comes from God! 

3. Peter. That catch represents the Church. We see in Peter, the first Pope a Church that goes out on a mission, and that without Jesus and his directions achieves nothing. Jesus asks you to look for souls for him. Peter goes to Jesus and gives him the fish they’ve caught. Let’s go out fishing! Let’s not give up! And if it doesn’t turn out the way we want, we must go out again, because Jesus is there, even if we don’t recognize him. 

Don’t forget that something good is on the way!

God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.