During the 50 Days of Easter, my blog will be musings by Joseph of Arimathea on the amazing happenings of the time between Easter and Pentecost--between the Resurrection and the Coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. Enter with me into this imagined series of recollections by Joseph. (The image today is from a post on the Episcopal Café.)
“We will go fishing.” I heard them tell the women. “It’s
what we’ve always done when things are unsettled.”
Mary of Magdala smiled. “Perhaps Jesus will meet you there.”
Her words were prophetic. When the men returned only a
couple of days later, they were bursting with news. Mary sent for me
when they arrived so I could hear their report.
“Thank you for inviting me,” I gave a slight bow to the
group.
Peter nodded. “It is right that you should be part of those
who know the truth. You stood with the women when it mattered most.” He looked
a little ashamed of his own actions during the days less than a week earlier.
“What happened in Galilee?” Salome asked the question on all
our minds.
“We were fishing, just as we said we would,” John began.
“And there was nothing to be caught,” James interrupted. “It
was very discouraging. We pulled in the nets and turned toward shore. There was
someone walking along the seaside. He called to us, ‘Have you caught anything?’”
John took up the story. “It seemed like an odd question and
even rude, but Peter called back, ‘Nothing.’ Then this man said, ‘cast your
nets on the other side.’ The phrase sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t
place it at first. Peter said, ‘may as well try.’ We threw out the nets and the
next thing you know they were filled. Then I knew why the words sounded
familiar. ‘It is the Lord,’ I said to James and Peter. ‘He said the same thing
years ago, remember?’ Then Peter dived into the water and swam to shore. James
and I dragged in the full net. It was hard work and Peter waded out to help us
drag in the net. There were 153 fish.”
James took up the story. “Jesus said, ‘Bring some of those fish you caught.’ We didn’t need them, though. There was already fish roasting on a fire. We ate breakfast with him.”
I caught my breath. A great longing surged through me. These
men had an experience I would never have. They had been reunited with the one
they loved most in the world. It seemed impossible, but there was no reason for
these men and women to lie. The visits by this Jesus were not something that
someone could make up.
Peter took a deep breath. Haltingly he began. “I wanted to
apologize for failing Jesus…I couldn’t find the words…After breakfast Jesus
spoke to me.”
There was a long pause. Then the big man resumed, “Jesus
asked me an odd question. ‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me, do you desire
me more than anything?’ My answer was hesitant, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you
as a friend.’ He smiled at me, although I knew my response wasn’t whole-hearted.
‘Feed my lambs,’ he said.”
“That is an odd thing,” I heard my voice interrupt.
“Yes,” John nodded. “We thought so too. We think it means to
take care of the littlest and least.”
Peter continued as if we hadn’t spoken. “Again, Jesus said,
‘Simon, son of Jonah, do you love, esteem, and care for me?’ My response was
the same, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I am your friend.’ This time he said, ‘Tend my
sheep.’ I felt that was an order to care for all these friends who followed
him.”
The man looked around at all of us. “For a third time, he
asked the same question, but phrased it differently. He asked, ‘Simon, son of
John, are you my friend?’ My response was impatient. ‘You know everything. You
know I am your friend!’ Then he repeated, ‘Feed my sheep.’ Then he told me that
when I’m old I will be bound and taken ‘where I don’t want to go’. I didn’t
want to hear that and tried to divert the conversation by asking about John.”
John grinned boyishly. I often forgot how much younger this
man was than most of the disciples.
“Jesus’ response was to tell Peter to mind his own
business,” he chuckled.
