Reading the gospel text of this Sunday, many questions may come to our minds (John 21:1-19). The scene is that of a pleasant gathering of the Risen Lord with his apostles on the lakeshore after a great fishing success: 153 big fishes and the heavy weight of the catch did not tear the net.
But, as the usual expression has it: “There’s more to this than meets the eye!”
This reflection will limit itself to a single aspect that awakens wondering and questioning.
We know that, after Jesus had been arrested, Peter being questioned about his relationship with him had denied, three times, even knowing Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75).
Yet, amazingly, it is Peter that is chosen by Jesus to be the leader of the group of believers.
We may think that another of the apostles would be more qualified…
Matthew, the tax collector, may have had more business acumen (Matthew 9:9-13)…
Simon, the Zealot, could have shown more zeal for the affairs of the kingdom (Matthew 10:4)…
Thomas, yes, doubting Thomas, just a few days before had made a deep profession of faith recognizing Jesus as: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:24-31).
And John, the beloved apostle, the one who, just then, had recognized that the man on the lakeshore was Jesus himself. To him Jesus had revealed who it was who would betray him (John 13:21-26)…
But Jesus chooses Peter – in spite of his trifold denial, he is the chosen one.
Jesus gives him the occasion of a profession, not of faith but of love, and the wording is worth noticing.
Peter does not say: “I love you, Lord” – it is Jesus who asks him the question, and he does so in a very demanding way:
“Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Peter answers cautiously… leaving it to Jesus to appraise his love…
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus will repeat his question a second, and a third time when, finally, Peter will say:
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Denials, betrayals, unfaithfulness, abandon – all these do not prevent God from claiming our love!
And such failures on our part do not prevent him either from confiding to us the task of revealing his presence to the people we live and work with.
An amazing God, indeed!
Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-c-2025/
Source: Image: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints