Who's In Charge?

St. John presents a folksy picture of Post-Resurrection life among the Eleven in today's Gospel passage: (Jn 21:1-14)  As we know from previous accounts, the Risen Jesus was not always present to them as he had been, but appeared "out of the blue" as it were, now and then. Without Jesus and prior to Pentecost, they experienced a "down time" and in typical fashion, reverted to behaviors they had engaged in before they met Jesus.  So, Peter decided to go fishing, and several joined him.  It was not a good night for fishing, and they were despondently returning to shore when a man, hearing that they had caught nothing, told them where to cast their net once more. They did, probably wondering what this man knew that they, the experts didn't, and it filled with fish, to the point that they could not bring it in.  The disciple whom Jesus loved, John, recognized Jesus, told Peter who leapt out of the boat to join him on the shore.  We can imagine his heart was pounding with excitement.  And, yes, it was Jesus, cooking breakfast for them: a lovely early morning picnic of fish and friendship, but also a lesson that Jesus was still in charge, and that although things don't go according to our plans, he's always there with an alternative which tops anything we had in mind.
Bro. Rene  





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