What an interesting gospel but then I imagine any fisherman can relate to Peter’s bad luck, fishing without a single bite and having his patience truly tested. Hearing someone tell him to throw his net to the other side, Peter was challenged to try a different approach and this time he and his companions caught so many fish that they could not haul the net onto their boat.
The gospel, however, really isn’t a lesson in fishing. Peter’s inability to catch any fish was John’s way of symbolizing Peter’s failure to love. Think back to the night Jesus was on trial after being betrayed by Judas. Peter stood in the courtyard to watch what was going on. When pressed by a servant girl, he denied that he even knew Jesus, much less loved and believed in him.In this brief encounter, he had turned his back on a friendship that had been three years in the making.
Even though we celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday last weekend, the good news today is another reminder of how merciful Jesus truly is. He could have dismissed their friendship and scoldedPeter for what he did in the courtyard. Instead, Jesus asked him three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
And each time, Peter replied that he did. Why three times? Wasn’t once enough to convince Jesus? Biblically speaking, three is a complete number, suggesting fullness. Three, for example, conveys the completeness of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What we may not realize, since few of us are scripture scholars, is that Jesus and Peter used different verbs for the word, love. Jesus used the Greek verb that spoke of loveas totally self-giving while Peter used the Greek verb that refers to the love of friends. Most of us readily relate to love as Peter does but few of us, like Peter, are able to achieve the highest form of love that Jesus is asking of his followers, a degree of love that I find Pope Francis challenging us to imitate.
There is an ancient prayer known as the Jesus Prayer I say often as a form of meditation and perhaps you do as well. “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me a sinner.” We are asking for his mercy but just what are we asking for? Perhaps you equate mercy with being lenient or compassionate toward an offender. That is what Jesus demonstrated toward Peter.
Each time Peter responded, Jesus then told him. “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” And finally, “Feed my sheep.” They may come across to you as directives aimed only at Peter and his successors, namely those in Church leadership, but every gospel is meant to speak to every disciple, so Jesus is also speaking to you as well. How are you doing when it comes to exercising the virtue of mercy when the need arises?
As spouses and parents, I imagine you have all had instances when some one you loved has betrayed you either big time or in minor ways. Did you react with vengeance or with mercy? Little is gained when we refrain from extending mercy. But when we extend mercy toward the person who has offended us or let us down, we are “feeding” them” love. There is the greater chance that your relationship will deepen, not fall apart.
Jay, a teenager with a driver’s license, messed up — big time. Mom and Dad let him take the car Saturday night to take his girlfriend to the movies. Well, things got out of hand. On the way, they picked up a friend and then another friend . . . Jay wasn’t paying attention as he should have and ran a red light . . . he was stopped by the police . . . an open container (not Jay’s) was found in the back seat . . . His parents were called. Without a word, Jay handed over his set of car keys to Mom and Dad — and didn’t expect to see them for a long time.
The following Monday, Mom asked Jay if he could take his grandmother to her doctor’s appointment after school. Sure, Jay said, and Mom gave him the keys. Jay got Grams to the doctor on time, waited for her, and then took her to the mall to do some errands. They both had a great time. Returning home, Jay handed the keys back to Mom.
A couple of days later, Mom, delayed at work, called Jay and asked him to pick up something for dinner. Sure, he said. He took the keys from his dad’s desk drawer and headed to the store. He saw some of his friends from school who were on their way to the mall and asked him to go along. No, he said, he had to take care of some stuff. Jay picked up dinner and got it home. He helped his Mom and sister unpack everything and set the table. Then Jay returned the keys to his dad’s desk.
On Saturday, his dad asked Jay, “Would you take a run to the nursery and pick up some bags of top soil and mulch?” Dad tossed the keys to Jay and Jay headed out. He returned later with the material, then helped his dad spread the mulch and plant new shrubs and spring flowers in the yard. When they both went in for lunch, Jay handed the keys to his father. “No,” his dad said matter-of-factly, “you hold on to them.”
Jay’s Mom and Dad understand that just as they must hold their son accountable for what he had done, they also must give Jay a chance to restore their trust in him. That’s what Jesus does for Peter in today’s Gospel. Jesus is not taunting Peter but calling him to move beyond the past in order to take on the new challenges of apostleship. In forgiving Peter as he does, Jesus transforms Peter’s regret and shame into a new understanding and conviction of the Gospel the fisherman has witnessed. The Easter Christ calls us to do the same and embrace that same model of mercy: to possess the greatness of heart to forgive and seek forgiveness; to seek to rebuild and restore trust with those from whom we are estranged, and with those we have hurt and who have hurt us, that is, with all who “mess up” — big time.