Coffee With God

Reflection: John 21:1-19

What is the mission entrusted to Christ’s disciples and how do they carry it out in their everyday life situations? Today’s passage answers these questions through an episode full of symbolism. It speaks of seven disciples on a boat go fishing. Number seven indicates perfection and completeness. Peter and the other six represent entire Christian community, that consist of the various types of Christians –doubters, fanatics, those who deny the Master, traditionalists, and even anonymous Christians. The sea is the symbol of all the forces that are the enemies of man. If submerged in water one would be left to the mercy of evil. Therefore, fishing means to pull oneself out of this condition of ‘absence of life’ and to liberate from the forces of evil and death. Think of all those forces in the world that prevent us from living joyfully and prevent us from smiling: the lust for money, grudges, uncontrolled passions, drugs, pornography, anxiety, hate, remorse, fear…. John recalls his own story in the company Peter and others and share the story with his community. His purpose is to explain to his community, the Church’s mission to liberate the people of God from the depths of the sea of evil forces. They work all night, but caught nothing, says the Gospel. They strive to the utmost in the mission entrusted to them, but with no results. Because, they still did not have the light of Jesus. The Master had taught them: “Without me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). They are perhaps feeling abandoned and frustrated amid dangers and difficulties. They try to carry out their mission as ‘fishers of people,’ relying solely on their abilities and skills. But at the dawn of the new day, they listen again to the voice of the Master. The Master has not left them alone! He comes to them, and guides them in their activity. “Cast the net over the right side of the boat…” As soon as they trust him, the miracle happens: against all human logic, against all reasonable expectations, they obtain an amazing result. John wants the Christians of his communities to believe that Jesus, while standing on the ‘shore,’ that is, in the glory of the Father, is always beside them every day and continues to make his voice resound, indicating what they must do. We will succeed in the mission of Church, provided we let ourselves be guided by the voice of the Risen Lord. The seven disciples on the Lake of Galilee, that is the Church is asked to present the fish, the fruit of its Mission. On the other hand, the bread is always offered freely by Jesus; It is the Eucharist; it is the bread that the Risen One breaks.