Recognize the Lord and Tell Others
Class reunions are interesting experiences. We come together after many years of living away from the close communities of our childhood school days and find that people have changed in some ways and are fundamentally the same in other ways. I find it’s easier to recognize the women than the men. Men change in appearance more after age 18 than women do, in my experience.
It happened again recently when I chanced to be in the town where I grew up on a night when a group of my high school classmates were gathering at a local “pub” owned by another classmate. I got there a touch late, so sat at a side table where a few others were already sitting. I didn’t recognize the men, but I always find people interesting, so that was fine. As it turned out, the two men were guys with whom I had attended eight years of grammar school! I had last seen one of them at eighth grade graduation. I may have seen the other in high school, but I didn’t recognize him when I saw him that night. We had a good visit and I look forward to getting to know them both now as adults.
The apostles had a somewhat similar experience after the Resurrection. It had been a much shorter time than the 50+ years since we had all graduated, but they also didn’t recognize Jesus when they saw him.
Peter and the other apostles had returned to Galilee after the Resurrection. They didn’t know what they were going to do next in their lives, so they went fishing!
Today we typically go fishing during the day, maybe early morning or evening. But in those days, and probably still in some places, fishing as a way of earning a living was done at night. The first time Peter met Jesus, they had spent the night and not caught anything. They were returning, getting ready to go mend and fold the nets, then return home to rest. Jesus told them to try again. Despite their misgivings, the apostles tried again and this time the nets were filled to overflowing. When Jesus invited them to leave it all behind and follow him that first time, they did.
Now all had ended in what seemed like a disaster, but the women had come with word that he was risen and would meet them in Galilee. So, here they were, fishing again and catching nothing…
A man was watching them from the shore. He called out in a friendly way, asking if they had caught anything. They called back that they hadn’t. He responded with the suggestion to throw the net over the right side of the boat and they would find something. They did and the net was filled to overflowing. John, identified as the disciple whom Jesus loved, immediately realized who the fellow on the shore had to be and told Peter, “It is the Lord.” At that, Peter jumped overboard and swam to shore. The others came in with the boat.
They didn’t recognize him when they saw him. He looked different. But he welcomed them, had bread to share with them and some fish. He cooked some of the fish they had caught as well. They shared the meal. And though he didn’t look like the man they had known, they knew who he was because he broke the bread and fish and shared the food with them. Also, he had given them that huge catch of fish once again. The reason they didn’t ask who he was? John tells us it was because he had broken the bread and given it to them to share, just has he had done the night before he died.
The time by the lake didn’t end with just the meal, the breaking of the bread. Jesus spoke directly to Peter. Remember, Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times during the night before Jesus died. Three times, then, Jesus asked him, “Do you love me?” Three times, Peter responded that he did love Jesus. Jesus instructed Peter in response, “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.” He told Peter that he, Peter, would indeed follow in his master’s footsteps, even to his death. And then he once again called Peter, “Follow me.” (Jn 21:1-19)
They all returned to Jerusalem and met Jesus in different locations over a period of forty days. Then he was taken from their sight and they were told to go to Jerusalem and pray. Pentecost came, the Holy Spirit filled them with courage, and they began to tell the world about what they had seen and heard. The community of believers began to grow.
The authorities at the temple were not amused. In fact, they were quite angry with the apostles. They ordered them to stop preaching and teaching, but Peter and the others refused, “We must obey God rather than men.” The authorities were very angry but were persuaded not to over-react. They ordered them to be flogged and sent them on their way, in hopes that would teach them a lesson and they would just go home again. (Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41)
Of course, it did not stop them from sharing the wondrous news of the Resurrection. The community continued to grow and the word spread into all of the world. We today are among those who believe based on the testimony of those first men and women who saw the Lord after he rose and who shared their witness down through the generations.
The reading from the Book of Revelation that accompanies these accounts of the earliest days of the community of faith describes an important reality as well. What happens when believers are isolated from their community, not allowed to celebrate the breaking of the bread or prayer with their sisters and brothers in faith?
The author, John, tells of his mystical experience of witnessing countless numbers of other people and creatures who gathered together in praise of “the Lamb that was slain.” (Rev 5:11-14) John was in isolation on the island of Patmos, separated from his community. As he learned, it’s not necessary always to be physically with others in worship when in reality, our community extends beyond our day-to-day world. People from all ages and all parts of creation join us in our life of faith and praise of the Lord. We are not alone.
So, what does all this imply for us today?
We have lots of pictures and images of Jesus. None of them was drawn of him before his death and resurrection. We don’t know what he looked like, nor is it important that we do. As the early disciples discovered, he didn’t always look the same after he rose anyway.
Where will we find him today? What did he tell us? It wasn’t to look among powerful political leaders or wealthy people who had everything they could ever hope to need materially. It wasn’t to assume he would only be seen as a man. He spoke of those who are hungry, those who are thirsty, those who are un-housed, those who are in prison, those who are sick, the children, the helpless, the migrant, the refugee, the farmworkers, those who wait outside lumber yards and hardware stores, hoping for work and money to feed their families. These are where we find the Lord. “Whatever you did for one of these least brothers (and sisters) of mine, you did for me,” he tells us. (Mt 25:40)
As we go through our daily lives, as we hear the news and reflect on the things happening in our country and our world, we are called to pay attention and see where the Lord is present among the little ones. This is where we must be active too. How do we help? When disaster strikes in a life, who will share resources? Where will funds come to rebuild entire communities after a tornado or flood? How do we as members of a nation provide for the common good?
We each do our part in our corner of the world, but some needs are too great to be solved locally. How do we act as a larger community of believers to protect not just the unborn, but also those who have been born and are struggling to grow, to support their families, to age gracefully, and to pass into the next life in a dignified, well-supported community of loving caregivers? At all stages of our lives, we meet the Lord. In all those whom we meet along the way, we have the opportunity to meet and serve the Lord.
This week, may we keep our eyes open to see his presence in those around us. May we reach out in love and friendship to those in our communities who need a bit of extra help. May we encourage our leaders and representatives to provide for the common good, rather than to open more doors for only the well-to-do.
Working through the community of believers, the Lord reaches out. May we together be faithful sisters and brothers who recognize his presence, tell others about our experience of his love, and want to get to know him better through his brothers and sisters whom we meet each day.
Readings for the Third Sunday of Easter – Cycle C
