Joy comes in the morning
Third Sunday of Easter - Year C
Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41; Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19 (1-14)
The Liturgy of the Word begins with the prohibition of proclaiming the Gospel (Acts 5:40). The apostles were forbidden to preach and were flogged for disobedience. Paradoxically, the situation in heaven is different. There, countless angels and elders praise the name of the Lamb (Rev. 5:11-12) and the whole universe participates in this hymn of praise (Rev. 5:13). In today’s Gospel, these two realities come together - those who toil for the Gospel in the night of this world meet the One who is glorified in heaven.
This third manifestation of Jesus takes place in Galilee, where Jesus promised to meet His disciples after Easter (Mark 14:28; 16:7). Galilee symbolizes our homes and places of work, where Christ brings light to our lives (see Matt. 4:15-16). It was there that the apostles went fishing at night and caught nothing because Christ was not with them: “Without me you can do nothing” (John 15: 5).
At dawn, Jesus stands on the shore and indicates where fish are - on the right side of the boat (John 21:6). "Then the King will say to those on his right: Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world“ (Matt. 25:34). The unexpected catch was a sign of God’s favor for preaching the whole night the Gospel of mercy (John 20:21-23). God turned an apparent human failure into an incredibly successful mission. Some see here a message of hope that at the end all people shall be gathered together to Christ.
Peter puts on clothes, plunges into the waters, and swims to Christ (John 21:7). Sin exposes our nakedness and only God can cover it (Gen. 3:7, 21). Thus, we are called to "put on Christ" (Rom. 13:14), and at the end, we shall be given white garments (Rev. 3: 5). Water, on the other hand, is a symbol of purification and a new beginning (Rom. 6:3-4).
“It is the Lord" (John 21:7). An empty tomb led Saint John to faith in Christ’s resurrection (John 20:8) and the great catch made him recognize Christ’s presence. This testimony moves Peter to action. The first thing he saw after coming ashore was “a charcoal fire“ (John 21:9) - by a fire, he denied his Lord (John 18:18) - and bread and fish, one of the symbols of the Eucharist (see John 6:1-14). He alone drags the unbroken net ashore, which indicates his primacy among the apostles, and that net symbolizes the unity of the Church.
“Simon, do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). Yes, he does and that love “covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8). Then, his primacy is confirmed by the command to “feed” and “tend” Christ’s sheep (John 21:15-17); feeding refers to teaching and tending to governing. Finally, Jesus foretells his martyrdom and calls him to follow for the second time (John 21:19, Mark 1:18). What a life-transforming morning indeed. The one who out of fear denied Christ now rejoices that he was “found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake” of Christ (Acts 5:41).
Our Lord was crucified under the reign of Tiberius (14 -37 AD), Saint Peter under Nero's rule (54 - 68 AD), and Saint John died during the reign of Emperor Trajan (98 - 117 AD). It was a period of darkness that aimed to extinguish the light of faith. Such nights are constantly repeated in the history of Christianity. And yet, no night lasts forever. In the moments we least expect, Christ appears on the shore and faith begins to bloom again. "At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing "(Ps. 30:5).