Sunday Worship
Welcome to our Worship on the third Sunday after Easter. Our Church Services today are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11.00 am at St Thomas'.
If you're not able to be with us in person, you can find the Gospel, a short reflection, a Prayer and a couple of hymns below.
Our first hymn this morning is "This Joyful Eastertide"
Today's Gospel
John 21:1-19 Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish
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."
Reflection
In this passage we hear about the disciples third encounter with Jesus after his resurrection. John tells us that this happens just after daybreak and it easy to see the metaphor of Jesus, the light of the world coming out of darkness into light. They were at the end of a fruitless night with nothing to show for their labours when Jesus makes himself known and they suddenly have the miraculously huge catch of fish. Their problem is resolved.
Again, John is meticulous in the detail when tells us that Jesus is nearby, “only about a hundred yards off”. Is he perhaps hinting that, like when the disciples needed help, when we are also in need of help, we should remember that Jesus is never very far away? He is there for us if we are willing to turn to Him and put our trust in Him.
There have been many instances in my life when things weren’t going as well as I would have liked when suddenly help seems to come from an unexpected source. I can but wonder that the hand of Jesus was present and He was nearby. Of course, it may not always be the exact way I may have wanted things to turn out but the outcome helped me to move on. Perhaps you too can remember similar instances where a solution to a problem has seemed to come out of the blue. Let us give thanks and pray for the wisdom to help us recognise Jesus working in our lives each and every day. Paul
Our Prayers
