Business As Usual..." I'm Going Fishing"

Following the recent events in the upper room with Thomas, the disciples return to their "former" lives; they’re going fishing! I guess I’m puzzled as to how after all that they've been through, they decide to go back to fishing. Sure, it’s their livelihood and yes, it may be their way of processing the dramatic events that they have experienced, and yet, it almost suggests, it’s back to “business as usual.”

Needless to say John has his reasons for telling us this story as he describes the appearance of a “stranger” on the shore who inquires as to how they’re doing with their fishing (John 21:1-19). They respond with some frustration, "not so well." The stranger calls out to “try another side” and see what happens. Maybe their “old habits” and practices were just not working anymore?

Whatever it was that prompted them, they ventured back out and resumed fishing and met with huge success. Their nets were overflowing. They caught 153 fish. Curious as to why that odd but specific number! Some have guessed it may imply the community of believers. Or, it may just be the number of fish that were caught.

Perhaps John is relating this story to remind us not to fall back into old  habits and ways of doing things.  In relating his encounter with Peter, Jesus reinforces his teaching regarding God's will for us to love and care for one another, not just in word but in deed.

We are being asked to abandon our old habits that get in the way of our spiritual  growth and leave our “comfort zones” and create new habits and a new life. Jesus is calling us to actively live our faith by being mindful of the needs of our others and live his teachings in a God-centered life

Father Don Caron explains that they were, after all, fishermen. Psychology tells us that people under stress undergo a process of regression that sends them back to entrenched attitudes and behaviors. Jesus seemed perfectly willing to start over with these men who had abandoned him, and to confirm that they had been chosen, not in spite of their life experiences, but because of them. Some commentators have suggested that 153 was the number of "the nations of the earth," but the only historical citation for it is found in a much later source (which doesn't prove that this thinking could not have been current when John wrote the gospel). If that is its meaning, then it would be consistent with the command to make disciples of all nations. (Comments on RR Blog, April 12, 2013)