I.
Let’s have breakfast with Jesus!

And in this account, not only did these disciples have breakfast with him, but it seems he cooked the fish for them. And he served it with warm bread. Well, it seems to me the bread could have been warmed by some of the same charcoal that cooked the fish. What do you think?

Let’s pay attention to this breakfast scene – the people, what they are doing, and not doing, and how they speak to (or not) each other and how they recognize one another.

II.
John 21:1-14 (NRSVue)

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he had taken it off, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them, and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

III.
In last week’s Scripture focus we saw Jesus sharing bread with some of his disciples. We also saw they did not recognize him at first.

And now we see some of the same pattern repeated.

Allow me to pose a question – can you recall times when you did not initially recognize the presence of something Holy and then your “eyes were opened”?

Can you recall what triggered your recognition of the Holy, that is to say God’s presence or nearness?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}