Third Sunday of Easter
April 22, 2007


How easy is it for you to forgive your failures?

In movies, it is pretty easy to tell how much time has elapsed. Sometimes they put it right there on the bottom of the screen – Mariana Islands, 3 days later. Other times the screen fades to black after a night scene, and now the sun is shining brightly through the windows, so you know some time has passed. In this, the last of the stories John tells of the risen Jesus, what you don’t know is how much time elapsed since Jesus last appeared to them. So, in my prayer, here’s my take…

It has been more than a few days since Jesus had appeared, breathed on the disciples, forgave them and told them to go into all the world. And the disciples did nothing. And a day passes. And then another. And another, and no Jesus. And it is now night time, and there in the dark, Peter and the disciples begin to wonder: “Was it all a dream? Did he really appear and forgive us?” And they all begin to doubt and question. Finally Peter says: “I’m going fishing.” Meaning, “I am going back to my old profession. We must have been hallucinating. Jesus is not alive, he’s dead. And I still betrayed him and I’ll never forgive myself…” The others join in.

And then when the stranger appears on the shore and invites them to cast the nets on the other side, the beloved disciple makes the connection quickest: “That’s how it all started – the invitation to fish and then to become fishers of men. It’s HIM!!!” And Peter who can’t quite get past himself in the forgiving process, jumps into the water, because he needs to hear it again and hear it soon – it’s forgiven, it’s is done.

And though it can seem harsh, this three fold – “Do you love me?” next to a charcoal fire like the one in the high priest’s courtyard, it is precisely what Peter needs to let go of his guilt and fear and embarrassment. On the third time – he ‘gets it.’ ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you… Through all the shame and guilt and anguish, it is the deepest down truth in my life. I haven’t been as good as I would like, but I do so love you. I do SO love you…” And in that moment, Peter is no longer bound by his failures. Instead he is bound by that commitment to serve – to let the gospel stretch out his hands and hearts to all the places in the world that need love. Jesus had far more important things for Peter to do then to let him wallow in guilt.
If you are like me, you can find great comfort in this story. Like Peter I, too, have betrayed my Lord. I, too, have let my smallness of heart lead me. I, too, even though I have been forgiven, have stayed stuck in my guilt, pride fully letting my failures keep me from resurrected life. You see, it’s so much easier to not forgive ourselves for our behaviors. Because then we have an excuse NOT TO CHANGE. No one can forgive me, so why bother? Why change if there is no hope….

And the same challenge that Jesus gave to Peter he gives to us: “Will you follow your failures or will you follow Jesus?” Will you stay stuck in your past, or will you let Jesus free you? For no matter how big the lake or how long the night, Jesus stands on the shore with a fire glowing and food prepared. And he asks us TODAY – do you love me? And if the answer is anything close to yes, then hear the risen Lord summon you from whatever shame, disappointment and sorrow in your life into a new and transformed future…

It wasn’t easy for Peter to forgive himself. But that morning on the shore, Jesus gave him the chance to not be stuck in his failures. This morning, that same Lord gives us the same chance. Will you follow your failures or will you follow Jesus?