https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040524.cfm
The Gospel of John is full of metaphor and symbolism. Today scripture is no exception as we find Peter going fishing. Six others join him, four we know - Thomas, Nathaniel, James & John (sons of Zebedee) But there are two unnamed disciples. Maybe they are unnamed because they represent us, the anonymous, hidden faithful souls who are the unnamed saints.
Were Peter & the others wrong to go fishing? Was he thinking of leaving his calling as a disciple of Jesus and going back to fishing?
Jesus told them to meet him in Galilee. The Sea of Tiberias is the Sea of Galilee. The Romans called it the Sea of Tiberias for the Roman City of Tiberias on its shores. It was a pagan city.
The disciples were fishing at night. In Scripture, darkness is a metaphor for negative, fearful human experiences and the sea identifies chaos. On the dark sea in a pagan world, the disciples were depending on their own experience and talents. They looked to their own self and each other. They did what they thought they should do. And, they caught nothing.
Dawn came. The light that was Jesus stood on the shore.
Jesus spoke to His disciples “Children do you have any fish?” They had to answer him No. They had caught nothing because they were depending on their own work. The disciples were depending on the truth of men instead of the truth that is of God.
Jesus tells them what to do – put your nets to the right side.
They didn’t know it was Jesus’ this was a stranger standing on the shore, telling them how to fish. Maybe, the disciples remembered something similar happening when Jesus called Simon Peter and his friends, come and follow me I will make you fishers of men.
In Matthew, Jesus tells Simon, “You are Peter, a stone; and upon this rock I will build my church; and all the powers of hell shall prevail against it.” The disciple Jesus loved said, “It is the Lord.” Peter, the rock, threw himself into the sea.
When the disciples in the boat got to shore, the net was full of fish and they could not haul it in. Jesus invites the disciples - Come and eat - Come and follow me. He took the bread and gave it to them.
This scripture is not about the doubts of Peter and the disciples; it is about following the truth of Jesus Christ. Come & follow me, I will make you fishers of men. It is an invitation to saints as wells as the unnamed, anonymous, hidden faithful souls that are disciples in the world.
Alleluia Christ has risen- Truly, he has risen indeed, Alleluia
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