Feed My Sheep

There’s something sad about this Sunday’s Gospel. It is after Easter, but Jesus makes another resurrection appearance; this time, to several of the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-19). The sad part to me is that Peter goes back to fishing. It’s not explicit, but I get the feeling that after having seen the Risen Lord! he’s going back to the “same-old same-old.” There’s nothing wrong with fishing. It can be really relaxing. And you can feed yourself and feed others. But Jesus appears to them and he commands Peter to “Feed my sheep” and to “Follow me.” Apparently, that doesn’t mean going back to his old job.

I know that I might be making more out of this part of the story than is there in the text, but there is something kind of sad to me imagining Peter going back to who he was before. Did Jesus’ resurrection not change him? How can you “go back”? Jesus breathed on him his Holy Spirit and told the disciples to forgive sins (John 20:21-23). Forgive sins! “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” That doesn’t sound like fishing…

And that’s the sad part. I get that he only knows how to fish. How do you, “feed Jesus’ sheep,” anyway? And not everyone is called to drop “their nets,” quit their job, go to seminary, and follow Jesus. “Do you love me,” Jesus asks three times (undoing Peter’s denial of Jesus three times). “Of course I do!” Peter answers. Feed my sheep.

I get that Peter’s not comfortable doing that. Fishing is more comfortable. There are a LOT of things more comfortable than sharing our faith in Christ. I’d rather just trust Christ’s love for me, and trust Christ’s universal love for others, than feel obligated to love others (I might not like). Feed my sheep.

Easter changes us. Death has no hold. Fear has no grasp when we’re in Christ’s hand (John 10). God takes away our guilt and shame before God, freeing us to relate to others as our authentic selves. Life is more than fishing and food and clothing (Luke 12) and bills and politics and... Isn’t that the better news people are starving for? Feed my sheep.

Peace,

Pr. Christian