IV.
Our friend Peter hangs out a sign, “Gone Fishing,” heads off to a favorite fishing spot and some friends go with him.

As you spend time reading about their fishing trip, think about what this might tell you about Peter’s and his friends’ mood and what happens for them.

V.
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.

VI.
“… but that night they caught nothing.”

For professional fishermen like Peter and the sons of Zebedee, it strikes me as a bit ironic that our Scriptural accounts draw attention to several of their “unsuccessful” fishing expeditions.

In the case before us, I wonder if Peter might be less interested in catching fish and more intent on being in a familiar and comfortable place where he can consider what has happened for him, for Jesus, for the life walking beside Jesus he thought he would have, and what his future will be like now.

Maybe fishing is not what’s most important to them. Maybe they need to come to terms with the unexpected direction their lives might be taking.

Where do you go when you need to “think things over”?

Do you recall a time when you had to come to terms with a change in your life that offered you a new and maybe very different path to the future than what you had expected for yourself?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}