In John’s Gospel, Jesus performed His first sign at Cana in Galilee (2:11), and now He performs His last sign in Galilee, at the Sea of Tiberius, which is another name for the Sea of Galilee.  Just as in Cana, He had supplied a superabundance of wine for a wedding feast, so He now gives His disciples a great catch of fish.  From first to last Jesus loves us with superabundant love.

When they finish breakfast, Jesus questions Peter three times about his love.  Here Jesus is providing Peter the opportunity to reverse the three fold denial on the night before Jesus died.  A charcoal fire is only mentioned two times in John’s Gospel.  This charcoal fire with the fish and bread recalls the charcoal fire of the denial of Peter.

Jesus three times asked Peter if he loved Him.  That is also His constant question to us. Do we obey Him out of fear, or out of duty or out of love.  Peter’s service was to feed and tend the sheep of Jesus, as the leader of the Apostles.  Jesus also asks us to carry out our own forms of service.  There are many ways of feeding the flock of Jesus.

You and I are being asked by Jesus if we love Him.  Our Lord calls each of us to acknowledge our love for Him and give ourselves to full service of His flock by the way we live our lives.

At the end of the Gospel, Jesus looks at Peter, who has committed himself to the loving service of Jesus and His sheep.  Jesus then says to Peter the same invitation the Lord made to Him at the beginning of their work together.  Jesus says to Peter “follow me. “

At the end of our encounter with Jesus in this Gospel, He looks at us and also invites us to follow him. May God give us the grace to respond whole heartedly by how we live our life.

God Bless

Msgr. Powell