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Home Page
The Rector's Welcome
Worship
Sermons
Music & the Organ
Newsletter
Schedule & Events
History
Programs & Ministries
Tour the Building
Links
Map & Directions
Monthly Calendar
Home Page
The Rector's Welcome
Worship
Sermons
Music & the Organ
Newsletter
Schedule & Events
History
Programs & Ministries
Tour the Building
Links
Map & Directions
Monthly Calendar
Fr. J. D. Ousley
22 April 2007Jn. 21“A Fine Kettle of Fish”
In the Name of God: Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. Amen.
Humor is not something we associate with the Bible. The Bible deals with the most serious issues of life.
In fact, though, people often misunderstand God's message, and these misunderstandings can be funny.
Today's Second Lesson mentions a disciple who is often a comic figure: Peter. We can't be sure why Peter is so often the subject of jokes; maybe he was a leader of the church who took himself too seriously.
For example, Jesus apparently said of Peter that "on this rock, I shall build my church" — thus foreseeing the role Peter would play in history. Even today, popes regard themselves as occupying the Chair of St. Peter.
Yet this major statement of support from Jesus contains a joke: for in Greek, the word "Peter" means "rock." Since Peter's name originally was "Simon," Jesus is renaming his disciple, and he is saying, in effect, "my disciple, whom I call Rock, will be the 'rock' of the church!"
Peter is also the object of some amusement in the Gospel for today, as he and his fellow disciples catch more fish than they know what to do with. When he realizes that it is the Risen Christ who has caused their nets to fill with fish, Peter excitedly jumps into the water to swim to Jesus–rushing like a child instead of taking the boat with the rest of the disciples.
In fact, all the disciples in the story can be seen as comic figures. For they are the archetypal fishermen. Fishermen in every place and time worry about catching fish.
Even when they get a good supply one day, they can't be sure they'll have the same luck the next time they go out.
Now in the story, the seven disciples are given the catch of a lifetime. They get so many fish that they can't haul in their nets! They go from famine to feast, from empty nets to breaking nets.
And this detail suggests symbolism as well as humor. The great catch foreshadows the spectacular success the church will have when it begins to tell people about the risen Jesus, and congregations spring up all over the world.
In the text, the disciples are eventually able to pull their catch into shore, and the total number of fish they've got is 153. Given this was the number of different species of fish known to exist at that time, the number also is a symbol.
It is as though every fish in the world was caught. The miracle catch of 153 shows that the call of Christ is universal. The Gospel will soon attract members of every tribe and race and nation.
But the story also suggests a human dilemma. This dilemma is also universal, and it contains a certain irony.
You feel you need a certain favor from God. So you pray that this favor be granted. And it is.
Yet when you receive what you ask for, you find that the results aren't what you expected.
In the Gospel story, the disciples managed to land their catch; but, it first seemed like they were getting too much of a good thing. They were afraid that their nets would be broken, and they would be left with no fish! So we pray for things, and then we find that the blessings we receive are unsettling. As a parish priest, I have found myself on occasion hoping for a strong leader who could take charge of a certain ministry. Then, out of the blue, someone volunteers for the job, and I relax.
But soon I realize that this dynamic leader has all sorts of new projects in mind that will need a lot of my support. I can't sit back; I'll have to be involved too. Of course, like the disciples with their 153 fish, I will be better off than I was before the person volunteered. I'll have new programs to work on.
But both examples illustrate the old saying: "Be careful what you pray for: you might get it!"
Sometimes, we are given more than we bargained for. There is even a secular version of this saying: "Be careful what you wish for; you might get it!" And it's true some gifts come with strings attached. If you catch a lot of fish, you've got to haul them in.
Or if, in answer to your hopes and prayers, you make new friendships, then you'll have to find ways to fit these people into your life. You'll need to call them on the phone; you'll need to listen to their news; you'll need to learn their likes and dislikes, their personal foibles.
You will still feel fortunate that you have new friends, of course. But you'll come to realize that blessings often bring challenges.
Admittedly, these are good challenges — especially compared to the occasions in life when our prayers seem to bring no result at all!
Success in catching life's dreams is not nearly as common as feeling that we're not getting what we wish for.
In these cases, we don't worry about our nets breaking. The promise of God's abundant grace is far from our minds.
In the Gospel story, the disciples only catch fish when they cast their nets out on the right or starboard side of the boat. We may feel like we're always fishing on the left hand side of the boat — the port side where there are no fish to be found.
In these cases when we come up empty, we identify with the bragging fisherman — the one who claims always to catch amazing fish that unfortunately slither off the hook and get away before anyone else sees them.
And that should make us stop and think for a minute. Are we being honest with ourselves about what we are doing when we pray?
For example, are we being too careful what we pray for? Is our prayer so limited and pessimistic that we don't allow God to share his abundance with us? Do we pray hopeful words and at the same time doubt that God will help us?
Or as we pray for God to give us things, do we avoid praying for the strength and courage to help tackle our problems with our own hard work?
Whatever situations we find ourselves in, it we aren't satisfied, that may mean that we're casting our prayers off the wrong side of the boat.
I myself tend to be skeptical by nature. That may explain why I was never a success at fishing. When I was a child and my father took me out, I couldn't believe that all the fiddling with lures and casting the line would ever help me to get any fish into the boat.
I realize now that I never expected to catch any fish. Ironically, I can see that my unspoken, skeptical "prayer" for no fish was always granted!
Now maybe I didn't have the temperament for fishing in the first place. "All things come to him who waits," has never been my favorite Bible verse!
But I might have said to myself this: I might have said, well, here I am fishing. My father is here with me and he wants me to have a good time. Why don't I just sit back, do my best with this rod and reel, relax, keep an open mind and see what happens?
If I had had a hopeful attitude, and been more trusting, and tried fishing out of both sides of the boat, who knows?
I might have ended up with a fine kettle of fish!
And now unto that same God Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be ascribed as is most justly due all might, majesty, power, dominion and praise, now and forever, Amen.