1 Sunday, April 21, 2013 Denver, Colorado Pastor Dena Williams The Holy Gospel according to the Community

of St. John in the 21st Chapter Glory to you, O Lord John 21:1-19 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat,

2 and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the

3 disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" Simon Peter said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Simon Peter said to 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 felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And Peter said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to Peter, "Follow me." The Gospel of the Lord

4 Praise to you, O Christ Gone Fishin I remember hot slow summer days back in Illinois, Rock Island, Illinois. The neighborhood kids sit around under the shade tree. It is hot and sultry. No one has much to say. It is afternoon and each child wishes there was something, anything to do. Though they would not admit it to anyone, they may even secretly be glad school will start soon, anything to relieve the boredom. Then, one of the boys suddenly sits up and announces, Im goin fishin! Then a chorus of Me, too., Can I go?, Ill ask my mom. Children scatter and soon reappear with fishing poles, tackle boxes, a coffee can of night crawlers. Suddenly an endless day of summer fills with possibility. We walk down behind the Coca-Cola plant, along the tracks, and across a branch of the Mississippi on the railroad trestle. Something I certainly never allowed my children to do. We scramble down the steep bank under the trestle to the river. We spend the entire afternoon. We rarely catch fishsometimes a river carp too smelly to cook and too bony to eat. Sometimes a sun perch that is even big enough to keep. Mostly we float little rafts made of sticks, look for rocks and shells, lay on the bank watching the clouds, listening to the river, feeling the ground tremble as freight trains pass overhead. It is glorious! Eventually the factory whistles blows and calls us back to reality.

5 Time to go home. Imagine the disciples gathered by the Sea of Tiberius. Not long ago their beloved friend was crucified and buried. Since then they have seen the empty tomb. Jesus appeared to them and talked to them. They touched him. They endlessly discussed the meaning of his life, his death, his appearances to them. Now silence falls on the group as they reflect to themselves. They long to see Jesus again. Suddenly, Simon Peter announces, Im goin fishin! The reverie is broken. Well go with you. Let me get my nets. Ill tell the women. A flurry of activity follows as they load the nets and get the boat in the water. They fish all night and catch nothing. Early the next morning, they see someone standing on the beach. The fog begins to lift. They peer into the early morning light. It is the Lord! John exclaims. Imagine the excitement! As they near the shore, Simon Peter cannot wait. The water is cold. They are only 100 yards from shore. He puts on his clothes and leaps into the sea. Why? The other disciples chuckle to themselves. There goes crazy Simon Peter! Over the edge, into the water. They are so close to shore. He could wait a few more minutes, they think, and save himself a cold swim.

6 Why? Why does Peter plunge into the cold sea? He sees his risen Lord, the Christ, his friend Jesus stands on the shore. In an excited leap of faith he plunges into the sea and splashes joyfully through the water toward the risen Christ. Simon Peter is not disappointed. He leap of faith is rewarded. He finds fish and bread cooking over a charcoal fire. He finds Jesus ready to receive him. He hears Jesus say to him and to the others Come and have breakfast. The holy comes to Peter in the smell of baking bread, sizzling fish. The holy comes to Peter in the sight of the risen Christ. He sees the holy. Have you ever eaten trout, caught early in the morning from a cold, clear Colorado Rocky mountain lake? Fish, caught and cleaned and cooked over a fire for you by someone who loves you. Someone who calls to you from outside the tent, Come and have breakfast. You smell the fish cooking on the fire. You crawl out of your warm sleeping bag and step into the chill of a mountain morning. The sight of your loved one and the clear blue lake and Colorado sunrise greet you. A rare and fine pleasure. A gift from God, a God who comes to us in nature, who cares for us through those we love. We touch and see and smell the holy. Beautiful images Children play by the river.

7 Peter finds the risen Christ on the beach. We greet our loved one over breakfast by a mountain lake. Beautiful images of lovely smells and glorious sights. It is easy to see the hand of God in the beauty of nature, a river valley, a mountain lake. Wonder how might we catch a glimpse of the risen Christ in our daily lives, in familiar places? Where do we see God on ordinary days? Is God present in familiar surroundings, at unremarkable times? Look around God is right there beside you in the pew. The very body of the risen Christ is present to you in the people around you those you know, those you dont, those you love, those you need to love. We see God in this way the risen Christ present to us in one another, the holy, right there beside us. It is after breakfast with the risen Christ, when Jesus asks, Simon, son of John, do you love me? Yes, Lord; you know I love you. Feed my lambs. Simon, son of John, do you love me? Yes, Lord; you know I love you. Tend my sheep. Simon, son of John, do you love me? Lord, you know everything;

8 you know I love you. Feed my sheep. And here we are, the flock, the sheep, the lambs, and all we have is one another. The only way for us to find the risen Christ, God present to us, is in one another. The only way for us to know the love of God, to find peace, to gather the hope we need to go on in the midst of our struggle, is in one another. Jesus didnt say ignore some of my lambs, dismiss a few of my sheep, overlook that lamb, disregard those sheep. Jesus said, Feed and tend my sheep. The risen Christ leaves us, the lambs, the sheep, in one anothers care. The risen Christ asks us, Do you love me? Lord, you know everything; you know I love you. Feed my lambs, tend my sheep. All we have is Gods love for us, Gods love revealed in our love and care for one another. Amen