On the third Sunday of Easter, Jesus continues to reveal himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He encourages them even though they did not catch any fish. He told them to cast their nets on the other side.  Listening to Jesus, they caught an abundance of fish. 

Listening to Jesus and recognizing him is the first step in our maturing in faith.  It is our faith that sustains us amid our feelings of emptiness and tiredness. It is our faith that moves us from feelings of doubt to the blessed assurance of acknowledging Jesus as the “Lamb who is worthy to receive all glory and honor.” 

Our acknowledgment of Jesus is based on the reality that he accepts us where we are and he never leaves us there. Jesus is always calling us to deeper faith. He heals, provides, and forgives. Through Jesus, God is working on things we don’t even know about yet! He is orchestrating solutions that will blow our minds. We may be worried or distracted by our past or our not being able to reach our goals. Jesus tells us to STAY STRONG! Something GOOD is coming our way!

After the meal, Jesus begins speaking to Simon Peter. Jesus and the other disciples remembered Peter’s denial of Jesus. However, in this conversation with Peter,  many scholars believe that Jesus forgives him. In the same way that Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?”

As Jesus feeds us in the Eucharist, we are called by him to have the heart of a shepherd to “Feed my lambs . . . Tend my sheep . . . Feed my sheep.” Following Jesus in a life of service and sacrifice, we find our way back to God.