In the Boat Part 2

 

Afterward, Jesus appeared again to his disciples by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: ² Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.  “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  John 21:1-3

 

Nothing, nada, zip, zilch, empty nets to match their empty hearts grieving the death of Jesus.  Remember that fishing was not just a vacation, but a vocation for disciples.  They were not amateurs; they knew what they were doing.  But even “experts” fail and falter, because we are all human-sized.  Even professionals strike out, miss free throws, make math errors, or can’t see what was coming next.  Even the best and brightest can be boneheaded at times.  I know that not every sermon I preach, morning meditation I write, or prayer I pray is gold.  God doesn’t ask for perfection but for practice and presence.  God pays attention to us and invites us to be awake and aware of God in our daily lives. 

 

Do you have a moment when you feel like your nets are empty?  Physically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally, in our country or world?  Empty nets where we keep turning to violence as a way of peace.  Empty nets of hate speech and belittling people.  Empty nets of churches seeing others as competition or constantly criticizing those people.  Empty nets of cynicism or denying/ delaying joy because it doesn’t seem trustworthy.  What empty nets are you finding as you are fishing from your sailboat this week?

 

I wonder, what did the disciples do as they waited?  I wish John had told us.  Did they play Skip-Bo or Solitaire?  Did they talk or just listen to God listening to them?  Did they sing hymns? If so, which ones?  Did they munch on trail mix or pace the length of the boat?  Did they mumble and grumble about how life was handing them lemons?  We don’t know.  But we do know, you know, what you do when you are waiting.  Waiting is a theme and thread not just in Advent but in these Easter-ing days right now too, as we approach Pentecost ~ the bursting and breaking in of the Spirit into our lives/church/world.  What are you waiting for?  Maybe the question about waiting has a connection to your thoughts above about empty nets?  Or maybe not.  Enter this scene.  Sit on the boat with the disciples.  And let your sacred imagination loose with what you are doing as you wait in these days.  Amen.