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Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

John 21:4

For Meditation

“I am going fishing.”

Why not? I was bored and clueless about my life. My Lord has been playing hide and seek with us after the great Miracle at Sunrise. He said He was making us fishers of men; but how? You know me. I love my Lord; but I must confess, I am also a coward. The shame of my betrayal in the court of the High priest still rings deep in my heart. The authorities are still breathing fire and we can’t even step out for fear of being arrested. And I said I would die for Him? Some promise! “What a wretched man I am,” as Paul would say (Rm. 7:24). How can I rid myself of this burden?

I know my trade. I know the sea, and I work hard. So, how come we caught no fish all night? Is that how life is going to be? It has never happened in my fishing years – that I would return from a fishing expedition without a single catch. But here I was with my colleagues, tired and disappointed, putting in our last effort to get the boat to shore and go figure out what’s next.

“Fellows, have you caught any fish.”

I could have wrenched that man’s head off his pathetic body if I was closer to him. How dare he insult my disappointment, as if it was not bad enough for me. But somehow, we answered in unison, “No.”

“Throw your net to the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” he said.

What does he know about fishing? Doesn’t he know that fish do not dwell in shallow waters? I was going to tell him to take his ignorance and insult somewhere, when suddenly, a sense of persuasion surged through my body. His voice had authority, and it dissolved my impetuous response. I found myself casting the net to the right-hand side of the boat as the stranger had commanded.

Holy cow! What’s going on here? That much fish in shallow waters at daybreak? I should have remembered a similar experience some three years ago, but I was too dumbfounded to think. 

“It’s the Lord!” John said.

My ears popped open. The veil came off my eyes, and I beheld my Lord at last. Finding my tunic, I dashed for the shore. No one was going to beat me to His side. I was renewed in strength. My guilt took cover, for my inner longing for that close intimacy with my Lord fired my passion again. A caring and compassionate Master that He is, He had prepared a meal for us – charcoal-grilled fish with some bread. I tried to say something, but I couldn’t find my words.

“Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.”

Now I knew of a certainty that I was standing in the presence of the Holy. How could I resist His command? One hundred and fifty-three fish, we counted them, yet the net didn’t break.

“Now come and have some breakfast!”     

What could any of us say? We stared in His glowing face in the early morning fire at sunrise. I had seen Him twice after the resurrection, but this third time surpasses it all. We were alone with Him at the shore of the Sea from where He called me three years ago after the same miracle. If this did not make the point for me, I don’t know what would have made it.

His words came back to me: “Don’t be afraid, from now on you will catch men” (Lk. 5:10). 

And my Master served me.