{"id":5373,"date":"2019-08-01T08:00:52","date_gmt":"2019-08-01T00:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5373"},"modified":"2024-01-07T05:32:42","modified_gmt":"2024-01-06T21:32:42","slug":"229-tabgha-a-forgiving-love-that-continues-to-call-and-commission","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5373","title":{"rendered":"229. Tabgha: A Forgiving Love that Continues to Call and Commission"},"content":{"rendered":"

15\u00a0<\/sup>When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, \u201cSimon son of John, do you love me more than these?\u201d He said to him, \u201cYes, Lord; you know that I love you.\u201d Jesus said to him, \u201cFeed my lambs.\u201d\u00a016\u00a0<\/sup>A second time he said to him, \u201cSimon son of John, do you love me?\u201d He said to him, \u201cYes, Lord; you know that I love you.\u201d Jesus said to him, \u201cTend my sheep.\u201d\u00a017\u00a0<\/sup>He said to him the third time, \u201cSimon son of John, do you love me?\u201d Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, \u201cDo you love me?\u201d And he said to him, \u201cLord, you know everything; you know that I love you.\u201d Jesus said to him, \u201cFeed my sheep.\u00a018\u00a0<\/sup>Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.\u201d\u00a019\u00a0<\/sup>(He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, \u201cFollow me.\u201d <\/span><\/strong>[John 21:9-15<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/p>\n

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1. Church of Primacy of St Peter, exterior. 2. Sea-of-Galilee-Shore. 3. Church interior, showing the stone where traditionally the Resurrected Christ is believed to have prepared breakfast for his disciples.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was during one of those days when after lunch we were just resting on the tour bus that was carrying us to the next site, that we saw a double rainbow in the sky to the west. It was like a gentle reminder of the sheer abundance of grace in our lives, an undeserved grace upon grace. When we visited Tabgha again, this time to check out the Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter right on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, we were reminded of the double rainbow and Christ\u2019s unlimited love and grace for Peter.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Church of the Primacy of Saint Peter\u00a0is a\u00a0Franciscan<\/a>-run church located in\u00a0Tabgha<\/a>,\u00a0 on the northwest shore of the\u00a0Sea of Galilee<\/a>. It commemorates Jesus<\/a>\u2019\u00a0reinstatement of Peter<\/a>\u00a0as the first among equals in the Twelve Apostles<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prominent inside the church is a projection of limestone rock right in front of the altar. Traditionally accepted as the spot where Jesus is said to have laid out a breakfast of bread and fish for the Apostles, this rock is venerated as a\u00a0“Mensa Christi”<\/em> (Latin<\/a>\u00a0for\u00a0table of Christ<\/em>).<\/span><\/p>\n

And so the church also stands at the spot where Jesus had that conversation which seemed so painful to Peter. There Jesus thrice asked Peter whether Peter loved him, and after each answer Jesus told Peter<\/a>\u00a0to either \u201cFeed my lambs\u201d or \u201cFeed my sheep\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

This, then, is where Jesus appeared to the disciples the third time after his\u00a0resurrection<\/a>. There he stood at the shore and directed Peter\u2019s group of fishermen, who caught nothing the whole night, to cast the net to the right side of the boat. They were shocked to have a miraculous catch which they were unable to haul in (John 21:1-24<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/u><\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n

For some members in our group, who already are used to doing their own reflections on the Gospel stories, the Bible again came alive right here. They imagined that right here, the crucified and resurrected Lord had returned from his suffering and death, to meet his disciples who had denied and abandoned him in his hours of difficulties. They fled when he was arrested and tortured to death by the religious and Roman authorities. But the Risen Lord forgave them all. He still accepted them as his disciples. In fact, he came back to lead them some more. Upon these realities, a lady sobbed as she shared her sentiments through her unstoppable stream of tears, right where we stood, on the\u00a0 shore of the Sea of Galilee.<\/span><\/p>\n

The New International Version, unlike other versions, gives the heading \u201cJesus reinstates Peter\u201d to John 21:9-15. In so doing, the editors have not only produced a translation of the original Greek text, but have in fact already offered a particular line of interpreting this scripture. They are suggesting that Peter, in his triple denials of Jesus at the courtyard of Caiaphas\u2019 house, had forfeited his apostleship and that Jesus, in these triple \u201cdo you love me\u201d questions, have reinstated Peter to his appointed role. Despite Peter\u2019s colossal failures, the Lord forgives and continues to call and commission him.<\/span><\/p>\n

What has just happened at the seashore?<\/span><\/p>\n

1. First, Jesus understands Peter is psychologically wounded and needs help<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus is the human face of God. He knows that Peter is wounded and he wants to help Peter heal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peter\u2019s wound is deeply psychological.<\/span><\/p>\n

On that fateful night, after Jesus and his disciples had sung a hymn at the Last Supper, they proceeded to the Mount of Olives. Along the way, Jesus predicted that they would all fall away because of him that night. Thereupon, Peter, filled with emotional love, swore total fidelity to Jesus \u2013 \u201cEven though they all fall away, I will never fall away\u201d (Matthew 26:33). Peter had to eat his words, and he did not know how. So he reverted to what he was familiar doing \u2013 he went \u201cfishing\u201d (John 21:3). After all, having abandoned the Lord in his hour of suffering, he could not but now have to abandon the mission to be fisher of men instead of fish.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was vivid in Peter\u2019s memory that, after Jesus was arrested at Gethsemane, he followed closely and saw for himself the inhuman torture that the religious and political authorities, working hand in glove, did to his Lord and Master. Worse yet, even as he suffered through the sight of all that torture, there was nothing he could do about it. And worse still, he was so fearful for himself that when questioned, he thrice denied even knowing Jesus. Upon the cockcrow, he realized his silent complicity. His guilt drove him to weep bitterly. He is at this point psychologically handicapped by guilt. He remains internally wounded to this time. Jesus knows it. He wants to make Peter whole again to continue the kingdom-mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does Jesus do it?<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Second, Jesus makes Peter whole again with God\u2019s abundant love and grace<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus wants to help Peter erase the memory of his boastful declaration of fidelity and threefold denial during the trial that led to his death. Notice how Jesus uses positive psychology.<\/span><\/p>\n

Peter was boastful; now he must realize his weakness, become wiser, and turn humble. The energy of Peter\u2019s bitter memory must be transformed into humility. While remorse<\/em><\/strong><\/span> can be a destructive and corrosive emotion, repentance<\/em><\/strong><\/span> yields positive energy that heals and makes one whole again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Notice how Jesus deftly heals Peter.<\/span><\/p>\n