Print

Print


3rd Sunday of Easter

John 21:1-19

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea
of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way.  Gathered there together
were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,
the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples.  Simon Peter said to
them, "I am going fishing."  They said to him, "We will go with you."
They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not
know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to them, "Children, you have no fish,
have you?"  They answered him, "No."  He said to them, "Cast the net to
the right side of the boat, and you will find some."  So they cast it, and
now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish.
That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"  When
Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was
naked, and jumped into the sea.  But the other disciples came in the boat,
dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only
about a hundred yards off.

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on
it, and bread.  Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have
just caught."  So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full
of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so
many, the net was not torn.  Jesus said to them, "Come and have
breakfast."  Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"
because they knew it was the Lord.  Jesus came and took the bread and gave
it to them, and did the same with the fish.  This was now the third time
that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of
John, do you love me more than these?"  He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you
know that I love you."  Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."  A second time
he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"  He said to him,
"Yes, Lord; you know that I love you."  Jesus said to him, "Tend my
sheep."  He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love
me?"  Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love
me?"  And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love
you."  Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.  Very truly, I tell you, when
you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you
wished.  But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and
someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not
wish to go."  (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he
would glorify God.)  After this he said to him, "Follow me."