Christ the Cornerstone

Meet Jesus in the daily moments of your life

The Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Easter (Jn 21:1-19) recounts the story of the Risen Lord’s appearance to his disciples while they were fishing. At the break of dawn, after a long, disappointing night, they saw a figure standing on the shore. It was Jesus, but they did not recognize him.

The stranger said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something” (Jn 21:5-6). So, they cast it and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. And that’s when they realized it was Jesus who was giving them directions on how to do their work as seasoned men of the sea.

Then, St. John tells us, they saw a charcoal fire with some fish on it and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So, Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. (Jn 21:10-13).

According to St. John’s Gospel, “this was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead” (Jn 21:14).

With this story, St. John is telling us some important things about the Risen Jesus, and about his disciples (us).

First, the Evangelist wants to emphasize how important it is for us to encounter the person of Jesus in the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives. It’s true that we meet the Lord in a profoundly personal way when we receive his Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist, but we also have to meet him in the ordinary moments of our lives.

Jesus is present—even if we don’t recognize him—when we are with family members, friends and even with people we don’t know. In fact, there’s a good chance that the stranger we meet in the grocery store, on the golf course, or in line at our parish food pantry, is Jesus himself.

Secondly, St. John wants to assure us that the Risen Christ is not a ghost. More importantly, he is not a figment of the disciples’ imagination, or a myth told by the early Christians to explain away his cruel death. This Jesus cooks breakfast for his friends. He breaks bread with them, and he enjoys their company.

Finally, this Gospel makes it clear that when Christ is present in our midst, wonderful things happen. His presence alone is a miracle—God-with-us in the ordinariness of our daily lives. But what’s more, all the miraculous signs of healing, forgiveness and hope that he performed during his time on Earth are recalled and relived in and through his disciples (us).

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we, who are his missionary disciples, carry on his work in the world. If our faith is strong enough, we too can become miracle workers—missionaries of healing, forgiveness and hope.

The Gospel reading concludes saying:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.” (Jn 21:15-17)

The test of Peter’s loyalty that he failed so miserably at the time of the Lord’s crucifixion is passed successfully here. Jesus gives him

a second chance to become his faithful disciple, the first among the servant-leaders of Christ’s Church. As St. Peter affirms his love for Jesus, he is told in no uncertain terms that the only way to prove his love and devotion is to “feed my sheep.”

As we continue this season of Easter joy, let’s learn to encounter Jesus in one another. And let’s prove our love for him by feeding his lambs. †