by Rev. Aidan Moon

The Comfort of Normal

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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.

– John 21:3, English Standard Version

I’m not much of a fisherman, but there is something about a day on the lake that can clear your mind.

I think when Peter and his fellow disciples returned to Galilee after the events of Holy Week and the stunning surprise of the living Christ, it was more than just an opportunity to relax and clear their mind – it was a return to some semblance of normal after a season of chaos and confusion. They had to be wondering, “What’s next?” And in the middle of this uncertainty, Peter decided “I’m going fishing.”

What do you do when things seem up in the air and you wonder what’s next? What habits and patterns do you return to when you are in need of something stable and consistent?

However, Jesus’ disciples wouldn’t return to fishing for long; Jesus wasn’t done with them. First of all, their first attempt wasn’t all that successful. Then, Jesus would appear to them and repeat the miracle that had brought them to him in the first place – bringing success where there had been nothing. And as he had breakfast on the beach with them, he would send them again  – Peter in particular – to feed his lambs, to care for his people, and to, as he said when he first called these disciples, “Fish for men.”

Peter and the other disciples lives wouldn’t ever return to normal again. But it was better than normal. They were fed and cared for by the risen Jesus. So are you and I! May we hear his call and find our comfort and consistency in him.

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado