Third Sunday of Easter

I would imagine that most of us have had at least one experience in which we were deeply hurt by another person – perhaps by someone we cared for very much. Our emotions can be very powerful at such a time and we can be consumed with feelings of hostility and resentment. If the hurt is deep enough, we may be tempted to give up on the relationship and avoid that person altogether, stubbornly refusing even the slightest move toward reconciliation, and speaking badly about the person to anyone else who will listen.

When do we give up on others? We all know examples of parents, children, spouses and others who have given up on their loved ones. We’ve known family and friends who have given up on the Church, or religion in general, or even give up on God. God, however, never gives up on us, not even when we have turned our backs on him or betrayed him. That’s what today’s Gospel (John 21:1-19) is all about.

In this Gospel, Peter and six of the disciples went fishing all night on the Sea of Tiberias (also known as the Sea of Galilee) but caught nothing. At dawn they saw a man on the shore who instructed them to cast their nets over the right side of the boat which they did and caught a huge number of fish. It was then that they realized that the man on the shore was the Risen Jesus. By the time they reached the shore, Jesus had a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it for breakfast. Jesus could have been filled with anger and resentment, for these were the very men who had abandoned him following the Last Supper, including Peter, who had denied three times that he even knew Jesus. But instead of anger and bitterness, Jesus showed mercy, and forgiveness, and compassion toward those who had hurt him.

It was in this encounter on the shore that Jesus three times asked Peter “Do you love me?” to which Peter three times answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Peter’s triple denial of the Lord following Jesus’ arrest had to be acknowledged and faced, but Jesus faced it with loving forgiveness by allowing Peter the opportunity for his triple affirmation. This allowed Peter to forgive himself and he was freed from carrying around the guilt of the denials he had made. There is a wonderful freedom that flows from forgiveness and unconditional love. Without the gift of God’s grace, unconditional love is most likely impossible. But with God’s love and power, all things are possible – even loving others unconditionally, even not “giving up” on them or on ourselves.