‘Children, have you no fish?’
In his own context, Jesus’ attitude to children was extraordinary.
They mattered to him – he took note of them, welcomed them – when as was customary,
his disciples tried to push them away: Stop disturbing the master,
he has far more important things to do, people to see, than wasting time with you!
Now back in Galilee, the disciples are distracted – confused, exhausted, worried for their futures –
what is it they are supposed to be doing?
Their teacher, the one they had such high hopes for, their teacher has allowed himself
to be taken and crucified, the most agonising – and humiliating – form of execution.
It was Passover, the great festival of liberation,of joy in freedom from slavery –
but here they are – everything they’d hoped for, dashed to the ground.
And then, then some of the women came back from the tomb,
claiming that he was not there, he was gone, his body was gone –
and more than that, an angel told them he was alive again –
And then Mary actually saw him –
Finally, they all got to see him – even doubting Thomas!
But, but, it was all so hard to understand – they could not hold onto him.
Whatever were they meant to do next?
It’s always sensible to get back to the old routines
when life is swirling around your head, and you don’t know what to do.
Good old Peter: lets get the fishing boats out again.
But nothing is going right. Have they lost their touch?
There’s not a single fish in the net.
A stranger on the beach calls out to them: ‘Children, have you no fish?’
In that familiar call they should have known him: Children.
Did they know him? Just who was this stranger telling them their trade?
If they’d caught no fish already, why should they now be casting their net on the other side?
Yet the net is full to breaking point. Such power is awesome. Terrifying.
What can they say? ‘Children, have you no fish?’
It is as children, children who enjoy the full assurance of their parents’ love;
children who may delight in creation in the absolute knowledge of a parent’s care;
children, who unsullied by disappointment, reach out with eagerness for the highest in life.
It is with the heart of a child that the disciples may experience again
the presence of their Teacher and Lord.
When the disciples follow Jesus’ instruction:
“Cast the net on the other side, the right side of the boat,”
ridiculous as it may sound, when they follow him again,
they find they have so many fish they cannot haul them aboard.
The Beloved Disciple is first to recognise the stranger on the shore.
Peter impetuous as ever, leaps into the water to get to Jesus.
“Come and have breakfast!” Jesus calls to them.
And they come to find the fire burning, ready for roasting the fish.
Jesus has fed them again. Here he teaches them again that it is as children
they may come into the presence of God,
receive the fullness of life that Jesus brings:
affirmation of our worth; the pattern of love burning in our hearts;
anticipation and hope for all that lies ahead; courage and strength to take hold of life to the full!
In this profound story of breakfast on the beach, we are fed with the promise of plenty,
but we also face the challenge to take that plenty out to others!
John’s gospel is a highly sophisticated piece of writing.
Addressed to an audience steeped in Greek thinking and philosophy,
it is for us today, difficult to understand.
Written by the ‘Beloved Disciple’ we are told in the last few verses of the gospel,
theologians have down the centuries argued about which of the disciples he was,
famously identified with the boyish John, brother of James, in Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’.
But for me, far more convincing and in tune with the tenor and purpose of the gospels,
is the suggestion that we are intended to understand the Beloved Disciple
as none other than ourselves!
The gospels were written as tools to ‘disciple’ new followers of the Christian faith.
As John writes early in the second century, we, his hearers, are invited to identify ourselves
with the one whom Jesus loves. The one who recognises Jesus
– even when those around us fail to do so.
Of course the breakfast on the beach is most famous for Peter’s threefold reinstatement
as leader of the fledgling church, reinstatement following
a threefold denial of his friendship with Jesus at the house of the High Priest.
The writer of John’s Gospel is pressing home as he comes to the conclusion of his Gospel,
pressing home the urgent need for all Jesus’ disciples to ‘feed my sheep’.
As Jesus has just fed them fish and bread,
as in his earthly ministry he fed the multitudes with fish and bread on the Galilean hillside.
And of course, as he has inaugurated at the Last Supper,
the symbolic feeding on his body and blood as we are shortly to do.
As at the feeding of the Five Thousand, as now,
in the midst of need, Jesus’ provision will be plenty.
The number of large fish, 153, caught by the disciples, is particular and there for a reason.
Sadly today it’s hard for us to work out the symbolism,
but I like fifth century theologian, Jerome’s, take on it.
He had an understanding that there are 153 species of fish in the world,
(of course we know today there are thousands more than this number but that is not the point!).
What is the point is that the disciples therefore, as they obey Jesus,
catch all the known species of fish.
This catch therefore represents all peoples to the ends of the earth. The Gospel is for everyone!
And please note, the net, the Church, is strong enough to hold them all without breaking!
That the Gospel was for all people had been a hard fought battle,
difficult for the first Jewish disciples of Jesus to understand.
A battle not unlike the one we see in the Church of England today
over issues of gender, sexuality and inclusion.
Peter is warned of forthcoming martyrdom. The early Church grew out of martyrdom.
And there was for some a rather unhealthy
seeking after suffering and death for Jesus’ sake as achieving the highest status!
The more suffering the more glory.
In the verses immediately following our gospel
Peter asks Jesus what is to be the fate of the Beloved Disciple.
And we hear that martyrdom is not to be his fate.
We are not to concern ourselves with such things
– or with comparisons with what happens to others!
Peter has the highest authority yet he is not more important to Jesus
than the faithful disciple who will tell Jesus’ story to those around him.
Our call is to follow Jesus in bringing life to the world!
As the Beloved Disciple has witnessed to Jesus in this gospel
so we also are to witness to the Gospel of Christ,
to point those around us to Jesus that they also might follow him!
Might receive the plenty that Jesus brings to life. Amen.