Around 20 years ago, I was canoeing on the Hudson River in upstate New York. It was a pleasant day in early spring. My friend and I were in our early 20’s and apparently had no need for life jackets. And of course, we were horsing around, racing folks in the canoe next to us and suddenly found ourselves capsized. Although we were not far from shore, the water was frigid and the current strong. We were gasping for air as the oxygen in our lungs was expelled as quickly as we were dumped out of the canoe. Earlier, we had been landscaping and completing carpentry projects at church. Needless to say, our attire was not conducive to taking a swim in the Hudson. The worst part of the whole experience was losing my treasured Wolverine flannel shirt at the bottom of that particular bend in the river.
Currently, we find ourselves in Eastertide, that season of the church calendar in between the resurrection of Jesus, culminating in his ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Whereas Lent is a 40 day period of fasting, Eastertide 50 day period of feasting as we regularly have the call of “He is risen!” and the response of “He is risen indeed, Alleluia!”
On Sunday mornings, the youth and I have been taking a journey through the resurrection narratives and the people encountered by Jesus. Have you noticed how, like Gandalf, the resurrected Christ has a habit of showing up in ways, places, and at times at his own leisure? He shows up as the gardener in a graveyard to meet Mary Magdalene at the dawn of new creation. Mary recognizes who this gardener is when he calls her by name. Cleopas and the other guy are joined on their sad journey from Jerusalem by a seemingly clueless traveler who reinterprets the story they thought they knew and had placed all their hope in. Only when he shares a meal with them are their eyes opened and their imperfect faith becomes sight. And we can’t forget Thomas who gets a bad rap as the doubting disciple. He struggles with the metaphysics of the resurrection. Eight days later when Jesus suddenly appears in a room that is locked from the inside, he doesn’t rebuke Thomas but tells him, “See and touch for yourself.”
Then we have the story of disciples who have returned to the Sea of Galilee in John 21. It seems that they don’t know what to do with themselves. Jesus has shown up and eaten with them, but is kind of all over the place and not really keeping any itinerary. How on earth do you follow someone who seems to be untrackable? He really is the God-man raised from the dead, and seems to be using space and time in a way that is truly mindbending. What do you do when you need to process something, or clear your head? Go fishing. It’s interesting that from the moment that Jesus meets these guys on the shores of Galilee and they leave their nets behind, they don’t pick them up again, until now. They spent three years literally following the Resurrection and the Life. But now they find themselves not quite knowing how to move forward in the reality of what they are experiencing. So what do they do? They return to what is familiar and take up their nets.
And then we have Peter who has had a turbulent week by anyone’s standards. This guy is undoubtedly exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. But here we find him having fished all night but with no luck. Now, at the break of day, here comes the resurrected carpenter on the seashore giving them fishing advice which ends up being massively successful. Then they recognize who it is. They are about 100 yards off shore and Peter does something strange. Not that he jumps out of the boat to head for the shoreline, but that he puts on all of clothes before he jumps out of the boat. Seems counterintuitive, right?
When they arrive on shore they are met with a charcoal fire and a meal. The only other time that there is a scene in the gospels which includes a charcoal fire is one that has undoubtedly been haunting Peter.
So why did Peter clothe himself before jumping into the water? I can’t help but think of the man and woman in the garden who found themselves naked and ashamed, clothed themselves and tried to hide. This is Peter at this moment. We’ve all been there. We know all too well the things that we have done, the things we’ve left undone and the things that have been done to us. We know what it’s like to have the cloak of shame either wrapped around us or easy to grab out of our closets or from that box in the basement.
As Peter eyes set upon the charcoal fire, it’s not a sign of comfort but of distress. A burning reminder of abandoning and failing his friend. Maybe that’s why, when Jesus tells the disciples to bring him some of the fish they just caught, Peter immediately heads to the boat he just jumped out of. Anything to avoid that fire. We know that Jesus has appeared to him since the resurrection. But this is the first personal encounter we read about. I imagine impulsive and outspoken Peter being uncharacteristically quiet and withdrawn, trying to get warm while wearing that sodden garment of shame. Maybe that’s why Jesus invites Peter to take a walk along the shore after they finished breakfast.
At a conference back in March, psychiatrist Curt Thompson commented on the difference between Judas and Peter. Judas lost his way but Peter found his way back. The charcoal fire which had been a place of failure for Peter, Jesus turns into a place of welcome and renewal. Essentially, Jesus says take off that wet cloak and clothes him with restoration. Only in the presence of Jesus will we find ourselves fully seen, soothed, safe, and secure and sent out to do good work in the world which glorifies him
Jesus has a habit of meeting people, meeting us, where we are, preparing a meal, and inviting us to follow in his way. His way in which we take up our cross, as he extends forgiveness and clothes us in his righteousness and beckons us to follow him. A warm and dry garment of grace.
Friends, none of us are too far gone that Jesus is unwilling to welcome, comfort, clothe and feed us. We just need the courage to emerge out of our hiding places and join him by the fire and believe his word to us.