Morning celebrations

Kleaster sound 12, 2021

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Kleaster morning Wednesday, April 21, 2021

The lives of Peter and his friends are back to square one. Jesus has been murdered. The dreams of a new life and the ideals of a new world have been cruelly disrupted. What are they to do now? Then back to square one, back to life before Jesus. Back to the fisherman's life. But despite all the sweat and toil, there is no catch, no yield. They toil in the dark and the elements are against them: wind, waves, darkness. Then they receive advice from shore to cast their nets across the other bow. And they catch fish in abundance. Apparently the best mate here is indeed on shore, in the light of early morning. 

When they go ashore, they find a charcoal fire on the ground with bread and fish on it. Everything is ready to receive , share and eat. Then follows an encounter between Peter and Jesus. How must that have felt for Peter. Three times he has let Jesus down. How should he proceed? Maybe he wanted Jesus to be angry with him. That Jesus would say, "Coward, I can never trust you again. You are not worth a damn. How dare you face me. You are the last one on whom the church will be built.' But no, there is not a word of reproach or anger. Three times Jesus asks Peter, "Do you love me? Ai, that comes much closer than any anger. Jesus leaves the choice with Peter, but he does not deny the past. The future cannot be built on silence and denial, but only on processed pasts. Peter answers three times, "Yes, I love you! That is enough. The church is not built on heroes, but on people who love Jesus and know they are vulnerable and fallible. This Peter, who knows how much you can go wrong, he may become a shepherd. Because he understands the vulnerability of others.

If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for. 

Thomas Merton (in Hinne Wagenaar, Blessed Simplicity, 166)

Question for reflection: How do you deal with people who have let you down and violated your trust? 

And also: How do you relate, conversely, to people you've let down. Do you shy away from them or try to make amends?

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