Wednesday within the Octave of the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
Posted on April 20, 2022 by under
Scripture: St. John 21:1-14 (NKJV)
21:1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. 4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”
They answered Him, “No.”
6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish. 9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.
14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
Devotion
Jesus’ appearance by the sea (which includes the large catch of fish and the breakfast served by Jesus) is His third appearance following the two upper-room appearances in chapter 20. However, there were other appearances of Jesus after His resurrection (e.g., Mary Magdalene in John 20:11-18). St. John lets us know his reason for calling it the third with the words “to His disciples.” At His first two appearances He institutes holy absolution and commissions the Apostles to forgive sins.
Although there would be nothing wrong with an Apostle doing a little fishing, Jesus uses this post-Easter appearance to drive home the fact that He will provide for the Apostles—without the need for their human contribution. They will be fishers of men, and He will give them their daily bread (and fish). They don’t eat any of the 153 large fish which they caught because of the Word of God. Those are for others. Jesus feeds them breakfast with His own fish and bread. Not only do they know that “it was the Lord,” they are being taught to trust Him as they are given their Apostolic Office.
We, too, need to trust Jesus Sunday after Sunday. Not only does He give us our daily bread, but He has properly prepared the Apostles so that we can trust in their God-given, God-inspired, inerrant words. Our risen Lord and Savior is still providing for our preservation in the faith by His own Word. Whatever fruits He produces in us is for the benefit of others.
Prayer: Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we who have celebrated the solemnities of the Lord’s resurrection may, by the help of Thy grace, bring forth the fruits thereof in our life and conversation; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord. Amen.
Collect for the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord
Almighty God, Who, through Thine Only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, hast overcome death, and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life: We humbly beseech Thee, that, as Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by Thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
