Today’s Bible reading

Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.

Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”  – John 21:4-12

More thoughts for meditation

When Jesus first performed this miracle early in his ministry (as Luke records in chapter 5) the net broke from the abundance of fish. Here at the end of Jesus’s ministry, post-resurrection, the net holds together. And that’s part of the miracle!

I wonder about the difference in the stories and their timing. Maybe I’m making too much of the detail, but I’d like to think that the net not breaking now says something about the possibilities of resurrection life. Namely, that we can make a net together that holds, and look to Jesus to fill it.

Suggestions for action

Some of the nets in our society have been stretched to breaking in the past two years of pandemic. How can the community of faith be re-formed to hold us and others? How can we trust Jesus to provide for us? Participate in your Sunday meeting today, on Zoom or in-person. You are part of the net that holds and provides for others!