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 some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea.
In this season of Easter, the weeks between Resurrection Day and Pentecost the lectionary invites us to ponder the appearances and encounters with the Risen Christ in the gospels. Today we read the story in John's gospel which takes place by the Lake of Kinneret, or the Sea of Galilee. The first four disciples called by Jesus, fishers who were promised that they would become fishers of people, have returned to what they know best. along with a few others. They're having a tough day on the water when Jesus shows up on shore and gives them instructions on how to have what turns out to be a catch to boast about. We need to remember that these disciples were young men, probably in their early 20's, trying to figure what would come next.
Some have suggested that this story sounds "fishy", a symmetry which is too good to be factual. I accept it as it's offered, true in a deeper sense. We're all bewildered disciples in a fashion, and yet we are called to be active witnesses and small-e evangelists in the our own settings.
I think about the news of this past week that while Baby Boomers are no longer the largest demographic in our society a significant proportion of Canadians are getting old and really old. This is the gang which has participated in faith communities in the post-war era, although lots of Boomers dropped away. Now lots of these folk have died, or are immobile. Those who still attend worship are less inclined to be involved in leadership after a lifetime of activity. Some want the church/mosque/synagogue/temple to be a place of comfort rather than outreach.
There is no easy answer to this challenge and we know that many communities of faith are Cheshire Cat congregations -- nothing left but the grin.We have a son and an nephew who are United Church ministers. They were both doing a good job of welcoming young families and younger adults prior to the pandemic, only to have their efforts undermined by a virus. They have school-age children of their own and in some respects the pandemic has been tougher on them as they balance family life with effective ministry.
The question of the moment may be: are we swimming or are we drowning? I would prefer the former! Let's hope and pray that Jesus, the Risen Christ, still meets us at the shore for a morning breakfast and a heapin' helpin' of encouragement for the ministry of the 21st century.
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