and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did
not know that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, “Friends, have you anything to eat?” They answered, “Nothing.” Then he said to them,
“Throw the net on the right side of the boat and you will find something.” When they had lowered the net, they were not able to pull it in
because of the great number of fish. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” At these words, “It’s the Lord!” Simon Peter
put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and jumped into the water. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish;
they were not far from land, about a hundred meters. When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said
to them, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” So Simon Peter climbed into the boat and pulled the net to shore. It was full of big fish—
one hundred and fifty-three—but, in spite of this, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” And not one of the
disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” for they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and he did the
same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after rising from the dead. After they had finished breakfast,
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
And Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And Peter answered, “Yes, Lord,
you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Look after my sheep.” And a third time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus then said, “Feed my sheep! Truly, I say to you, when you were young, you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old,
you will stretch out your hands, and another will put a belt around you, and lead you where you do not wish to go.” Jesus said this to make known
the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And he added, “Follow me!”

Reflection:

In the present times of “zero tolerance” in the Church,
the act of Jesus must give us pause. There is no denying that
as a Church we must flee sin like a plague. But we must also be on our
guard against the temptation to ostracize our brothers and sisters
for good. Zero tolerance to sin, always; zero tolerance to the sinner,
never. Honestly, if we were to cast off everyone who sins, who would
remain? We can only confess like the Psalmist: “If you, O Lord, should mark
iniquities, Lord, who could stand?” (Ps 130:3). If Jesus reconfirmed a
broken, sinful soul like Peter to head the Church, it is an invitation for us
to recognize that we are all sinners one way or other, and we must help
one another to find that love for God hidden in our hearts, which will lead
us to conversion.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2022