First Sunday after New Sunday (Malayalam)

First Sunday after New Sunday.
Finding one’s Galilee. – St. John 21:1-14
Christ is Risen!

– After everything that happened in Jerusalem – betrayals, denials and cowardice and Christ crucifixion and especially the Resurrection – it was joyous news indeed yet unfathomable to the common rational mind.
– It was on the shores of Lake Gennesaret (Sea of Galilee/Sea of Tiberias) that Simon Peter, after a hopeless fishing expedition, had a deep intimate encounter with the Lord (St. Luke 5:1-11).
– Simon Peter’s announcement “I am going fishing” (v.3) is often cited as his practical nature or a hopeless transition to the old profession.
– When they had no catch, a stranger in the morning calls out to them to see if they got any catch (food). “No”, answered the disciples, not knowing who He was.
– Simon Peter, heard a familiar command to cast the net previously, to catch fish when they had not caught any – (Luke 5:3-6).
– But he isn’t hopeful and doesn’t want to disobey either, therefore responds for the sake of Jesus’s request, he will let down the net, and the catch was 153 fishes.
– When Simon Peter knew ‘It was the Lord’, the feelings of unworthiness would have been crushing him inside and perhaps that is why he doesn’t wish to walk on the water to come to the Lord (Mat. 14:28). Instead, he simply plunges into the sea after putting on his outer garment.
– On this night in the sea, the disciples have been fishing for answers on where their life was heading and what was its purpose.
– The Lord announced “Peace” in a closed room with his disciple’s post Resurrection.
– We have been promised with this peace which is collaborative. To behold, imbibe and radiate peace given by the Lord, we are called upon this journey of experiences to grow spiritually and faithfully.
– Sometimes in life we are led through the Jerusalem experiences – painful, hurting, puzzling etc. and these give us an opportunity to retreat to the Galilee of our lives – where we get an opportunity to reminisce when we felt closer to Him and as a group/family/community we were in communion with Him. A retreat to help us know who we are, evaluate our purpose in life and to wait unto the Lord.
May the Good Lord guide us in this journey.