“Children, have you any fish?” (John 21, 5) Jesus asked His disciples when He appeared to them for the third time on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias.

Once again, they did not recognize Him at first, and Jesus chose a way for them to recognize Him easily. After all, they were fishermen whom Jesus had chosen to become fishers of men. But first they had to realize that He had indeed risen from the dead. This reality had to sink deeply into them, for they were to carry this message of the resurrection out into the world. There could be no uncertainty, and their eyes had to be fully opened.

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” (v. 6) He told them.

The astonishing abundance of fish likely did the rest, so that John recognized the Lord. It was he who, with his gaze of love for the Lord, was able to grasp it more quickly.

“It is the Lord!” he said to Peter.

In that word lay everything: the relieved and joyful recognition, his whole love for Jesus, his Lord and Master, the hope and the gratitude.

“It is the Lord!”

How deeply can—and should—this also come from our hearts when we understand how God grants us a deeper light regarding situations that we cannot yet properly identify in His light!

“It is the Lord!”

It was a massive catch of fish at the word of the Risen One. The disciples must have remembered, for according to the Gospel of Luke, it had already happened once before. At that time, Jesus had said to Peter: “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered Him, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” They did so, and they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break (Luke 5:4-5).

This time they brought 153 large fish ashore—fish in abundance.

Jesus had already built a fire, roasted a fish, and prepared bread. With what tender gesture and care He pampered His disciples.

“Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” (v. 10) Jesus instructs them and invites them:

“Come and have breakfast.” (v. 12)

Now it could be a meal of joy, just as they had known before. And yet it was different. This time the risen Lord was with them—the Victor who had come out of the tomb, who had overcome death and the devil. They knew it was the Lord, and yet a new familiarity had to develop among them first. Jesus opened the way for them by building on what they already knew from their life with Him.

“It is the Lord!”

Yes, disciples, it is the same Lord, but now in the glorified body of the resurrection that we will all receive after our death if we remain faithful to Him!

 Meditation on today’s reading: https://en.elijamission.net/2023/04/12/

Meditation on today’s Gospel: https://en.elijamission.net/2022/04/20/