A homily by Fr. Gene Tucker, given at Trinity Church, Mt. Vernon, Illinois; Sunday, April 18, 2010.
Acts 9: 1 – 19a; Psalm 33: 1 - 11; Revelation 5: 6 - 14; John 21: 1 – 19
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
These words echo down through time, don’t they?
They look backward at that scene on the beach along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, as the risen Lord confronts Peter (in a gentle way). The Lord does so by means of three questions, all of which reverse the effects of the three questions that Peter had faced before Jesus’ death.
But they also look forward, into the ministry that Peter and the other disciples-about-to-become-apostles will undertake, whose fruits are seen in your life and mine.
You will remember those questions, I am sure: Posed to Peter around another charcoal fire (notice that we have a charcoal fire here along the shore of the Sea of Galilee…it is one of the markers which tie together the events of John, chapter 18, with the events we hear today).
They went something like this: A maid standing by the charcoal fire outside the Chief Priest’s house looks at Peter across the fire light and asks, “Are not you also one of his disciples?” (John 18: 17). You know Peter’s answer. He says, “I am not.”
Then, the questions are repeated, until there are three denials. And, at that, Jesus turns and looks at Peter, who goes out into the night, weeping bitterly.
Let’s turn then to the scene before us today, taking notice of some details as we go. Then, we will look more closely at the implications of Jesus’ three questions, both for Peter and the other disciples, and for us.
We begin by noticing how Peter and the other six disciples come to find themselves on the Sea of Galilee, fishing.
Peter says to the others, “I am going fishing.” The other six respond, “We will go with you.”
Scholars have pondered the motivation behind Peter’s announcement. One thing can be ascertained for certain: Peter was making a return to his old profession, for he had been a fisherman prior to the Lord’s call.
As for Peter’s motivation, we can’t be sure, based on the text. Scholars have wondered if Peter was simply “marking time” before something else happened. Or, perhaps Peter thought he could ride out the scrutiny that had surrounded Jesus’ trial and execution, at least until the heat had subsided a little. Or, perhaps Peter thought that the chapter in his life that had to do with Jesus of Nazareth was now a closed chapter. We simply don’t know.
But what seems clear is what happens next: Jesus shows up on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, not far from where Peter and the others are fishing.
Maybe we could characterize this by repeating the saying, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”
Jesus’ knowledge of Peter’s location, as well as Jesus’ knowledge of where to find the large catch of fish, continue a theme we hear throughout the Fourth Gospel: Jesus, being God, knows all things.
Here, such omniscience is evident.
From here, it’s worth noting that themes which had been presented earlier in John’s gospel account now begin to appear again. Among them are these:
- The miraculous feeding of the 5,000 (see chapter six): In the feeding of the large crowd, small amounts of food become large amounts. Bread and fish figure prominently in both passages. Here, the fish and the bread which Jesus has provided on the fire are supplemented by the large catch of fish.
- Jesus’ address to Peter as “Simon, son of John”: Jesus’ first encounter with Peter (see John 1: 42) records Jesus’ greeting to Peter as “So, you are Simon, the son of John?” Here now, in chapter 21, we hear Jesus ask Peter the three questions, all of them beginning with a very similar address, “Simon, son of John”.
- Being a shepherd: Jesus, in chapter ten, has described himself as being the Good Shepherd, the one who cares for the sheep, tends them, and leads them. Here, in chapter 21, we hear very similar themes, as Jesus commands Peter to “Tend my sheep,” and to “Feed my lambs.”
Now, let’s turn our attention to this last theme, that of being a good shepherd.
It is clear that Jesus has plans for Peter.
Those plans begin with a restoration in the relationship between the Lord and Peter.
The restoration begins with an interrogation, which leads to a thorough examination of Peter’s conscience, and which leads to a vision of the future in which Peter will, indeed, be a faithful shepherd, even to the point of laying down his life for the welfare of the sheep (echoing yet another thread in the Good Shepherd discourse, see John 10: 11)
For, you see, the Lord predicts that Peter will follow his Lord all the way to a cross. The meaning of the text is clear, for John says that Jesus’ words were explicitly meant to indicate the way Peter would glorify God by his death (see verse 19).
So, the interrogation begins.
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” Peter responds.
Then comes the command, “Feed my lambs.”
Again, the question is posed, and again, Peter affirms his love for the Lord.
A third time, the question is posed, and by now, Peter seems to be a little irked by the repeated questions. We can almost hear the exasperation in Peter’s voice as he says, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Apparently, though nothing else is said, Peter is restored. Peter will now be a faithful follower, a powerful leader, and a faithful shepherd.
For the Lord says that Peter will follow him, all the way to a cross outside the city of Rome itself.
What are the implications for you and me in today’s text?
I think we can ponder these points as we consider those implications:
The Lord will find us wherever we are, as He makes His call to service known: I see this time and again, as people – particularly those who are engaged in discerning a call to ordained ministry – test their calls against the other things in their lives which might draw away their energy and their attention. Just yesterday, I said to one such of a person, “If this call is genuine, the Lord will not leave you alone. He will pursue you until you say, ‘Yes’.” This aspect of God’s pursuit of us isn’t limited to those who are considering ordained ministry. It applies to all of us as we discern what God would be calling us to do in service to Him.
We will be asked to affirm and to re-affirm our relationship to the Lord: Couldn’t Jesus have let Peter go with one question, and not three? Possibly. It might have been a whole lot clearer if Jesus had simply asked Peter once if he loved Him. Then, perhaps, the Lord might simply have said “OK, Peter, you’re back in my good graces, so behave yourself from now on.” But I think the drama which is inherit in Jesus’ interrogation of Peter must have resonated with Peter until he took his last breath on that cross outside the city of Rome….Perhaps Peter thought of the two fires, and the three questions which were posed around each. Perhaps the things that were not said were far more important that those things that were said. I think so, at least.
We cannot be good shepherds without knowing the Good Shepherd: This last point seems obvious….we cannot share what we do not have in terms of a relationship of deep and penetrating love for the Lord. For, failing to have that aspect of our relationship firmly in place, we will fall into the pattern of the false shepherd that Jesus had described in chapter ten: we will seek our own will and our own welfare, at the expense of the sheep.
Today, Jesus looks at us across the pages of Scripture, and asks, “Do you love me?”
If so, then tend my sheep, feed my lambs.
AMEN.
