Sermon for the 3rd Sunday of Easter – ‘Barbeque on the Beach’ preached at the Eucharist, Sherborne Abbey on Sunday 4 May 2025 by The Reverend Rebecca McDonnell (Acts Ch 9: v 1 – 20; John Ch 21: v 1 – 19)
As someone who has received and responded to a call from God, I have a great fondness for today’s Gospel reading. If you love me, feed my sheep. It is a direct command, not just to Peter, but to all of us. In fact, it was the Gospel reading chosen for Pope Francis’ funeral, just over a week ago. Peter is seen by the Roman Catholics as the first pope, someone in whose footsteps they all tread. Pope Francis was a humble servant leader of the Catholic church, but someone admired by many for his embodiment of the faith and of this very calling from Jesus. To feed God’s sheep. He embodied the calling made directly by Jesus here, to go to where his sheep were and care for them. Both our readings for today are about vocation, how God calls to us, all of us. Even the most unlikely ones in Paul’s case, as he was someone who had been persecuting Jesus’ followers. And even he was chosen and sent forth, to preach the Gospel. From persecutor to proclaimer. And so, God sends us, too, to proclaim his word and feed his sheep.
The 21st chapter of John is understood to be written later than the rest of the Gospel by the Johannine community, as an epilogue, after Peter’s death, hence the foreshadowing, on an upside-down crucifix in Rome where the Vatican stands today. Although it isn’t much after the rest of the book was written, and very much has always been a part of the Gospel of John. This scene takes place after they have had two appearances from the risen Lord (plus that first appearance to Mary Magdalene.) The disciples have all gone back to their old trade. Maybe they’re not sure what else to do? What do they do with the information of having met with the Jesus risen from the dead.
The disciples who are present in this passage are interesting- Alongside Peter, trying to get it right, is Nathanial, who was dismissive when he first heard of Jesus. The sons of Zebedee, who wanted to sit on Jesus’ left and right in heaven, and Thomas who we saw last week doubting. A group of people who still had so much to learn. And two unknown disciples, are they you and me? One of them is the disciple that Jesus loved. This is mentioned throughout the Gospel of John. Is this the beloved disciple John himself, or some archetype we all look up to?
Peter is at the centre of the story- Peter the do-er, not always getting it right, but always stepping out in faith. After the disciples have seen Jesus on the shore, the disciple whom Jesus loved says ‘it is the Lord!’ Maybe this is John, prophetic John, the mystic, who is first to discern him. Then Peter (throwing on more clothes to get into the water!) jumps into the lake and comes to Jesus through the water, like as in baptism. Is this his Baptism, his stepping out in faith towards the risen Lord. Peter has been a faithful but not always getting it right disciple, but here he is starting to get it. By flailing we will learn, like fledgling birds. The three ‘do you love me’s’ from Jesus undoes the three times Peter denied (note also the presence of a charcoal fire in both scenes, the same word.) Nothing is said, but this is forgiveness. This is Jesus reaching out to Peter in love and mercy and giving him his commission.
It is interesting that two different Greek verbs are used for ‘love’ in this conversation. It starts with agape the first two times, divine love, unconditional, as in ‘for God so loved the world.’ The third time, philia, brotherly love, a deep affection between individuals. Jesus is meeting Peter where he is, not as idealised saint but as a human being. Much like us, Peter doesn’t always get it right, but he does his best.
Jesus on the beach has prepared breakfast, he has the bread and the fish, in an echoing of the feeding of the 5,000, but also Eucharistic in the imagery of taking and breaking the bread. Fish also represent the future expansion of the church. The miraculous catch of fish once again tells us of abundance, of the generous quality of Jesus’ grace. Should we share fish as part of our Eucharistic meal?! I can’t imagine what the smell would be like!
Then we have Saul, at the start of his conversion story, who thinks he is already doing God’s work by persecuting these so-called followers of Christ, he thinks he is the good guy doing the Lord’s bidding. It’s an interesting perspective. Who can we think of the in our world today who we can see as doing untold harm to the vulnerable and outcast, but they think they are doing right thing according to some idea of security and preservation. Pope Francis was the opposite of the powerful leaders of our world, those who don’t appear to believe themselves to be doing anything wrong and even profess to hold a Christian faith. Saul is the classic example of the devout person who is so determined to do what they see as good that they are blinded (literally!) to the destructive consequences of their purity campaign. But Saul is quickly brought up short by Jesus speaking to him as he walked the road to Damascus, a voice from Heaven. He say’s ‘why do you persecute me?’ Not the followers of Christ, but Christ himself. Saul’s actions towards humans directly affects the divine. How is Christ wounded afresh by the actions of our present society?
So, Saul becomes Paul and learns from his mistakes. He is healed of his blindness, baptised, and as we know he becomes a cornerstone of the early church and a true disciple. Are there any smaller ways that our quest to do things absolutely by the book cause us to be blind to God’s calling on our lives to feed his lambs, tend his sheep, feed his sheep. We need to be led by Jesus’ voice and direct commandments, not what we think is right or wrong. And when we do make mistakes, we accept them, ask for forgiveness and for our blindness to be healed. Like the disciples, like Peter, we’re all flailing about trying to get it right most of the time, no one is perfect or has all the answers. But we come to Jesus through the waters of baptism, he is the great shepherd of the sheep, and our calling is to follow him, to be the ones who tend, nourish and care for the flock.