Fishing

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Fishing

Untorn     Nets

Cast     Feed     Tend

Do You Love Me

Follow

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture: John 21: 3, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15

Simon Peter said to the disciples who were there, "I am going fishing."

They went with him.

They caught nothing but Jesus was standing on the shore.

They did not recognize that it was Jesus.

He said to them,

"If you cast your net over the right side of the boat, you will find some fish."

They did what Jesus said and the net was so full of fish that they could not pull it in.

Jesus told them to bring some of the fish they had caught. Jesus said, "Come have breakfast."

Jesus took some of the bread and gave it to them and also the fish.

After the breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Do you love me more than those?"

Peter said, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."

Reflection

Breakfast time!

How would you like to have breakfast with Jesus? Jesus prepares an early morning feast of bread and fish for some weary fishermen.

They have just spent a frustrating night trying to catch some fish but they come up empty. Jesus helps them in two ways:

He tells them where to cast their net. They catch a huge amount of fish!

Then He makes a delicious breakfast for them!

A great combination.

Jesus then has a moving encounter with Peter. He asks Peter three times if he loves Him. Peter responds that he does and Jesus tells him to feed and tend His lambs.

In these appearances after His resurrection, Jesus is sending an important message to His disciples and to us.

He is letting us know that He will be with us to sustain us and lead us in our "fishing" today and always. He is with us in the Eucharist to nourish us.

This strength that Jesus shares with us helps us to "feed His lambs" as He encouraged Peter to do.

The Resurrected Jesus knows that we will need His help and He is very generous with it. He displays that generosity in the way He reaches out to Peter.

He realizes that Peter is still upset that he denied Jesus three times. Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. The healing has begun.

Jesus knows what we need. He asks us today if we love him.

How will we answer?

Are we ready to go fishing?

1. How would you like to have breakfast with Jesus?

2. How do you experience Jesus with you each day?

3. Where have you gone "fishing" lately?

(scripture adaptation, reflection, and questions by John J. McNamara)