John 21

It’s so important to have the record of these early encounters between the risen Lord Jesus and his disciples, because they show us that they really weren’t expecting the resurrection to happen.  Even when they do begin to accept that Jesus is alive they struggle to make good decisions and are far from being a world-changing crowd of apostles.  We have read about how Jesus makes time to appear to Thomas, to minister to his questions and need for proof: Jesus knows what we each need to make him a reality to us.  We’re not all the same, and so today he meets with Peter and poses his three-fold question about Peter’s love for him.  Peter had been quick to deny knowing Jesus three times, and here Jesus draws out of him a declaration of love which undoes each of those denials.  Tomorrow he has a different word for John.  He deals with us as individuals: isn’t that amazing?  Isn’t that great?

The Revd. David Hildred