4th May 2025
Lectionary Readings: Acts 5:27-32,40b-41; Ps 30:2. 4-6. 11-13; Rv 5:11-14; Jn 21:1-14
Theme: The joy of true encounters
The Sunday Gospel for this week may be interpreted by the help of the well-known Jewish philosopher Martin Buber, who wrote in his book “I and Thou”, that “all real life is meeting/encounter”. Buber essentially speaks about human encounters and the necessity to transit from an “I – it” encounter to an “I – thou” encounter. “I – it” meetings have their focus on the ego and remain superficial and fleeting, not really knowing the other person. “I – thou” encounters on the other hand are truly nourishing for the soul because here two persons are meeting on a deeper level, apart from their own ego and thus truly getting to know each other.
Situated in the last chapter of John’s Gospel, today’s text speaks about the third time that Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection (cf. Jn 21:14). A group of disciples, still confused about what had happened to Jesus a few days ago and still not sure how to interpret the empty tomb, decide to go about their daily business – they do what they always used to do, they go fishing. Peter takes the lead and the others join him.
John the Evangelist tells us that Jesus stood on the beach, but his disciples did not recognize him (cf. Jn 21:4). How come? They all had been wandering around with Jesus for about three years and now they do not recognize him? Speaking with Buber, we could say that the disciples were still confined in themselves. They were full of their own worries and sorrows about what had happened and about what would be. Because they were fixated on their own self, on their ego, and on the past, they were only capable of an “I – it” meeting, which cannot lead to a real encounter with another person.
Jesus however wants to help his disciples to a true meeting with himself. The group of disciples finally recognize the resurrected Jesus, when they start to listen. These experienced (!) fishermen were not too proud to listen to this “stranger”, suggesting that they should cast out their net on the right side of the boat. Their decision to listen to an “other” took them outside of themselves which resulted in a true encounter with the risen Lord and in addition they were blessed with a big catch of fish.
But Jesus even took it a step further and did not only want to reveal himself in an intellectual but also in a very tangible way. After the disciples had finished their daily work, they found themselves invited for breakfast by Jesus. Everything is prepared: the fire, the bread, the fish. Jesus only asks his disciples to add some of the fishes they had just caught. At this point, when Jesus breaks the bread and the fish, every one of them “knew” it was the Lord (cf. Jn 21:12).
Thus, by truly listening to Jesus’ voice the disciples left the confinement of their own ego with all their worries and were able to have a true encounter from heart to heart, from person to person. The shared breakfast with the risen Lord could be seen as a feast, celebrating this joyful encounter.
For Reflection and Discussion: 1. Have you experienced these two kinds of encounters in your life? 2. How does a shared meal help building and nourishing a relationship?
Bibliography: Levine, A-J. and Brettler, M.Z., The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Second Edition, Oxford University Press (Oxford/New York: 2017)
This week’s Sunday Liturgy Commentary was prepared by
Barbara Kauffmann, Germany, Bat Kol Alumna 2010, 2011, 2012
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