Easter Hope

A favorite Easter appearance story is that of Jesus on the seashore cooking breakfast for the apostles who have returned to their work as fishermen. His invitation, “Come, have breakfast” opens their eyes to his resurrected presence; that story has become one with many teachable themes. Risk. What must it have been like for the tired, hungry, disappointed fishermen to hear a stranger tell them to throw their nets over the side of the boat–again?  They had fished all night and had caught nothing. What would risking cost them? Their willingness to listen and accept the invitation changed the direction of their lives. Their eyes were opened as they recognized Jesus in the blessing and the sharing of breakfast. What is it that I am being asked to risk; what must I let go of or reorient to experience the abundance promised by Jesus? Trust. Trusting that the voice I hear to do something that others might deem foolish is a second teachable theme in this Easter appearance story. That still, small voice is alive and continues to direct Christ-conscious actions that others might not understand. Our country needs people to speak up where injustice is found, where people’s lives and livelihoods are sublimated to power, greed, and hate. Trust can be a steppingstone leading to the hope we pray for this Easter. Abundance. When the apostles put out their nets at the request of a stranger, they were rewarded with an abundance of fish. It seems to have been this abundance that opens their eyes to recognize the stranger as Jesus. “The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It’s the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore” (John 21:7). Risk, trust, abundance: These are some of the themes that bear further thought this Easter season as we hear Jesus invite each of us, “Come, have breakfast.”

Dianne Schlichting, OblSB