Christ is
Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
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| Risen Lord appearing to disciples at Sea of Tiberias |
The Holy Gospel
reading for the first Sunday after New Sunday is from St John 21: 1-14. The passage
is immensely rich in imagery, metaphors and learning. It is difficult to
combine all the devotional thoughts about this passage in a single blog.
The Gospel
of St John Chapter 21 contains an account of the Risen Christ’s third appearance
to the disciples in Galilee (Sea of Tiberias), miraculous catch of 153 fish,
the confirmation of St. Peter's love for Jesus, a foretelling of St. Peter's death in
old age, and a comment about the beloved disciple's future.
If I would
have to name a protagonist (among the apostles) in this passage, among the apostles, that would be St
Peter (and to some extent St. John). However, St Peter's life and ministry that we
encountered in the Holy Gospels doesn’t mirror exactly what our view of
superheroes and heroes are,- such superheroes whose clothes make fashion statements, who have no
weaknesses, need no help from others, are out there to save the world singlehandedly.
In contrast, our ‘hero’ is a simple fisherman, one who zealously loved his
Master but at the crucial moment, fearing for his safety and in his weakness,
he denied knowing Jesus Christ.
We may not
really ascribe the below passage with great importance and this is stated after
the verses wherein Peter denies Christ the first time:
“Now the servants and officers who had made a
fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And
Peter stood with them and warmed himself.” (St John 18:18; NKJV).
Now read
verses 9 of the Gospel portion for the coming Sunday:
“Then, as
soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on
it, and bread.” (St John 21:9; NKJV). (Emphasis mine)
As the
disciples, after instructed by our Lord to cast the net on the right side and
having caught multitude of fish, were coming ashore; they saw fire of coals
there with fish laid on it and bread.
Verses 15 onward we note our Lord asking Simon Peter three time whether he
loves Him. The sight and smell of the coal fires as well as the three questions
would have brought bitter memories of denial in St Peter’s memory.
Both St. Peter
and Lord Jesus Christ were present in both ‘settings of the coal fire.’
- - The first one was lit by officers who wanted to do away with Christ and the second was lit by Christ Himself.
- - The first was lit when Jesus was undergoing the Trial and the second after He conquered the death (which the officers hoped to give Him after the trial).
- - In the presence of the ‘worldly’ fire lit by the officers and servants, Peter denied Christ three times. In the presence of the fire lit by Christ, Peter affirmed his love for the Lord three times and was reinstated back to the apostolic fold.
- - In the warmth of the ‘worldly’ fire lit by the
officers and servants, Peter tried to protect himself from the cold but in his heart,
he received no comfort. In the presence of the fire lit by Christ, Peter
received food for nourishment of his body (fish and bread), nourishment and
comfort for his soul (forgiveness) and a commandment to tend and feed the lambs
and sheep of Christ.
- In our
spiritual journey, we also would have had the ‘coal fire’ moment which Peter
encountered. In our weaknesses, we would have faltered. What is striking in the above
Gospel verses is that Jesus not only forgives, but He also strengthens Peter to
overcome his shame and guilt and renew himself for the tasks ahead. In few
weeks, when we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, we will remember the bold leader
St Peter who talked about Christ to others. A bold leader- restored and
transformed by grace and the love of our Lord. As they teach in monasteries, when you fall-rise again!
St Isaac
the Syrian presents a beautiful thought and prayer about repentance:
"It is You who grant repentance and
a sorrowing heart to the sinner who repents; in this way You ease his heart of
the weight of the sin that is laid upon it, thanks to the comfort which comes
from the sorrowing and the gift of tears” (
‘O Apostles
and holy fathers pray for us weak and sinful beings, that the grace of our Lord
may manifest in us as it happened in Peter and that we may truly rejoice from our
hearts in this season of Resurrection.’
In Christ,
Rincy
(Icon taken from https://www.orthodoxmonasteryicons.com/products/appearance-of-the-jesus-christ-to-his-disciples-into-the-sea-of-galilee-icon)
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