Happy Easter to all.

In the background you can see where tradition places the episode narrated in today's Gospel text. There, the Risen One would have manifested himself to his disciples who were in a boat and were fishing. We are in Tagba, a name that derives from eptápegon = 7 springs. In fact, there are several springs of water in that place. There is water in abundance. The pilgrim Egeria, who toured the holy places, has left written in her diary what she has seen in Tagba. She says that in the rock there are 7 steps on which the disciples would have seen the Risen One. You can see them in the background.

What is the danger in interpreting this text? The danger is that it might be considered as a piece of a chronicle written by John who would have been the eyewitness. But if we are satisfied with this interpretation, let’s say right away that we do not grasp what the evangelist wants to communicate, a message that touches our lives in depth. Not only is this the main danger of losing the message because we do not understand the language of the author who is not at all drafting a news story, but then if we consider it a chronicle, we must confront ourselves with difficulties.

The first: by reading this story one has a distinct feeling that the disciples have never before made any experience of the Risen One. They do not recognize him. However, the Gospel of John was already the third time that the Risen One manifested himself to the disciples. Another thing: how is it that they marvel so much about miraculous fishing? Luke tells us that it was when the disciples were called that a miraculous catch took place; when Jesus invited his disciples to follow him and then made them "fishers of men." How is it that they marvel when this character who manifests on the shore tells them to throw the nets to the right and they will have results?

Another thing: Peter and a group of disciples (we will see it when reading this text) are in Galilee. Not in Jerusalem but in Galilee. It seems that they have returned to their normal fishing life. It almost gives the impression that they have forgotten the three years that have passed with Jesus. Then, they have forgotten the experience of the Risen One in Jerusalem and also narrated by the evangelist John. And we ask ourselves: After Pentecost, did not they immediately and completely dedicate themselves to the proclamation of the Gospel? How is it that we find this group of disciples in Galilee, following the life they had before?

These observations point us towards a different interpretation of the text. It is an invitation to go in depth to understand what the evangelist wants to communicate to us using images and biblical symbolism that he often uses in his Gospel. And in the explanation that we will try to give, some of the symbolic references might appear a bit forced, but John, more than the other evangelists, uses this language with references to the Old Testament.

We are not interested to know exactly what has happened. We are much more interested in knowing what the evangelist means. Let's hear where John sets the episode: At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. Thus begins the last chapter of the Gospel of John. In the previous chapter, the evangelist recalled two meetings of the disciples with the Risen One in Jerusalem. The first was on Easter day when Thomas was not present. And the second, 8 days later and Thomas was present. These are two meetings that the evangelist places on the Lord’s Day. Easter - 8 days later.

It's exactly what happens with us on Sunday. It is the representation of the spiritual experience that the Christian communities of all times are called to do, on the Day of the Lord, that is, to find the Risen One, the Living One, present in his Word and in the Eucharistic bread.

The third encounter with the Risen One, what we read in today's text, takes place in a completely different context. It is no longer Sunday when one goes to the Church. It is a weekday, a day of work. Then, the scene does not take place inside a house, as if it were a church, but outdoors. And this is the question that the evangelist wants to answer. The ordinary activity of the disciple, during the week, how should it be carried out to be part of the construction of a new world? Is the Risen One present at our side in everyday life? Or do we find it only on Sunday? ... and then, during the week, he does not appear... and so our life goes by as if he had not been resurrected, we manage on our own. We can make our life what we want if we forget the Risen One, if his light does not guide us anymore...

From the beginning of this text, reference is made to the place where the activity of the disciples takes place. Not in a religious environment, but in a profane environment. The sea. This term is not correct because it is a small lake. The Lake of Tiberias or the Lake of Galilee is small. Why do they call it 'sea'? When the Hebrews spoke of the see - ián gadól. The great sea, it was the Mediterranean. That one was a sea. And this is a lake. If the evangelist calls it the sea, it is because he wants to give a meaning to the work that disciples will do in those working days, called to fish in the sea. And we know that the seas are the symbol of the world of impurity, of the demoniac, of what is contrary to life. The fish are well in the sea, but people sink in this sea. If they are overwhelmed by the waves they end up sinking, they lose their lives.

And we remember what was the mission that Jesus had entrusted to his disciples: to get people out of these waves of the sea that hit them. Fishing represents apostolic activity. It is a symbol of saving people from death, from dehumanizing situations. And this sea is from Tiberias. Tiberias had just been founded by Herod Antipas. He had gone to live in Tiberias which was his new capital, just 5 years before the beginning of the public life of Jesus. The gospels never mention that Jesus went to Tiberias. He had been told that King Herod wanted to see him.

Herod Antipas had founded his city there, a pagan city, dedicated to the ruler of the day: Tiberius. Why is the 'Sea of Tiberias' mentioned and not the Sea of Galilee? It is an allusion to the paganism of this city. And it is in this 'sea of paganism' = this is the symbolism, where the Christian community is called to work, to get people out of the inhuman situation and take them to a truly human life, the one proposed by Jesus of Nazareth. The disciples are called to take people out of an idolatrous life and lead them to be people, true people. What the disciples find is a pagan world. And there is no need to complain. How many laments we always feel about this world ... that is more pagan every day, corrupt, without values, morally degraded and without faith ... And the conclusion is ... let's leave it as it is.

But what did we expect? That Jesus would send us out to people who are already on dry land? NO. It is about the people who are in the sea. The sea is the sea. We have to be aware that the situation of the humanity that Christ has found and that we also find ourselves in today, is not the ideal situation that we would like it to be. NO. We must work in this context - which is the sea and a pagan sea. The question, then, to which the text of John wants to answer is: "How is the disciple called to carry out his own everyday activity, so that the work activity is truly humanizing? What influence has the presence of the Risen One and what influence does his Word have on the flow of our daily life? Is this activity disconnected from the encounter with the Risen One that is on the Lord's Day, when we join the community to hear his word, break the bread? From Monday to Saturday ... the Risen One does not count at all?

The evangelist answers these questions with a page of theology that we will now try to understand. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "we also will come with you." So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Now "Jesus revealed himself in this way.” The evangelist does not say that the disciples have seen Jesus, but that he "revealed himself like this". It is exactly how it reveals himself to us today, in the everyday, if we are attentive to welcome his presence and its light in our life, while we carry out our professional activity, to build a world as he wants it. Let's take note of the composition of this group that represents the Christian community. We will see characteristics that reproduce exactly the composition of our communities today.

The first is Peter - with his personal story and represents the disciple who finds it difficult to accept the proposal of a successful man according to God. The important person, not because he has accumulated money and power, but because he is capable of loving, of giving life. And Peter is the disciple who would like to follow Jesus, but he wants to put his own projects and dreams together with Jesus' proposal; Peter’s projects are the projects of power, of having, of pretending. He is the disciple of today who has said YES to Jesus but continues to think as before. Peter is hardheaded. And at certain moments of difficulty, he does not hesitate even to deny his own faith. Thus, today, when we must choose between our own interests and the gospel, we do not doubt that we are moving away from Christ. Do not despair.

It is the story of this first disciple, who guides the community... a frail person, in love with Christ but with all the human frailties. Let's keep this in mind even in our communities today. The second is Thomas. Didymus = twin. That is our twin. He is the one who loves Jesus, but later he finds it difficult to live in community ... after a time he goes away; He belongs to the community but there is something that disgusts him and pushes him away. He is hard to believe - because he wants to verify. It is exactly the image of so many Christians in our communities who are like Thomas. Sometimes they are tempted to leave the community, then they return because they do not find anything better outside. He wants to believe ... but with evidence... with prodigies... with miracles so that there is not any doubt.

The third character is Nathanael. He is a nice character. Tradition identifies him with Bartholomew... but this is not clear. Nathanael is a simple disciple. It is characterized by the fact that he has no exclusions. He is a pure-hearted, clean person. He does not believe in Jesus because he has his own convictions, but when he finds him, when he discovers him and because he has a pure heart, he says: 'It really is as he says, it is what I expected'. Jesus told him: 'I have seen you under the fig tree.' Traditionally the fig tree represents peace. The one who is under the fig tree is the one who seeks a world of peace, announced by the prophets. In fact, sitting under the fig tree was the symbol of peace.

This man represents those sincere disciples who do not believe until they find someone who witnesses to Christ, as Philip did to Nathanael. These examples are beautiful. They represent the people in our communities, who were perhaps far away but then come closer, they embrace the beauty of the Gospel. Then, the two sons of Zebedee. It is the fanatical wing of our Christian community. Those who think they are the only ones capable of doing good. "We are the brave ones. Either you are with us or you are not good." Mark tells us in the third chapter, that when John sees someone who expels demons and uses the name of Jesus of Nazareth to do good... they forbade him "because they were not of our own group".

Then, in chapter 9 of Luke it is said that when they were rejected by the Samaritans, James and John (these two brothers) say to Jesus "'We are going to invoke fire from heaven against these evil people'. Jesus calls them severely. And he calls them with a not very appealing name: 'Sons of thunder'. Intolerant. They always raise their voices, ready to make controversy, they see enemies everywhere. And these also exist in our communities today. Notice how this community that we found in the boat is composed. And, to get to number 7, we have two other disciples to indicate the totality.

Who are these two disciples? Why are not they named? Because we should not ask who they were... they are anonymous. If we do not identify with the description of the characters presented above, these two disciples are us, with our good and less good characteristics and all our frailties. But we could also represent these two who are on the boat and work together with the other 5 whom we know very well, who are the baptized.

These two could represent those who are disciples without knowing it. They are those who work for the same goals as Christians: to make our world more human. So these are those who want to build peace, love, reconciliation. They have the same goals as the disciples of Christ. These, although they are not baptized, are in the same boat and fulfill the same mission that Jesus has entrusted to his disciples.

Therefore, we are facing an open group. They are all those who want a new world—a space for all people of good will. Peter says to this group of disciples: 'I am going fishing'. And the text, at this point, becomes a parable. Note that Peter does not ask them 'let’s go fishing'. NO. He goes. It is a model to imitate. He does not give orders. This is the example for those who preside over the Christian community. He is one who invites the brothers and sisters. He follows Christ and invites his brothers and sisters to join in with his life. He is a believer who is happy to embody that proposal of man that Jesus has made and carries out the mission that has been entrusted to him. And we see that others decide, spontaneously, to go with him. Not only the rest of the disciples, but also the people who belong to the community freely, because they share the mission.

It is beautiful what Peter says in his first letter, when he addresses the elders who preside over the community and says: "Feed the flock of God that has been entrusted to you, taking care of it, not by force, but willingly, as God wants; not for the ambition of money, but generously" (1 Pet 5:2). Not as a 'boss' ruling over the others entrusted to him, but as models for the flock.

This is Peter who says: "I am going fishing". We understand the meaning of this image of 'fishing'. The first part of this fishing takes place at night, in the dark. In the Bible, light is always positive; darkness is negative. The activity of the disciples can be done without the light, which is the light of Christ, that of the Risen One, that of the Gospel... that activity to humanize the world according to human criteria. Or, carry out this mission following the instructions of the Master. The night indicates the work that is done according to human criteria. And they do not fish anything. They did not collect anything. Note that the day, in Israel, begins at dusk, therefore, the day always begins with the night. And if we think about the history of the world, it is like the journey of Israel. There is a night: it is the night of paganism, of the inhuman... until at some point, the light comes. Therefore, we should not marvel if we still live in a world that is still very dark, but the new day has already begun to come to the fore.

Remember what Paul says: "The night is advanced; the day is approaching..." (Rom 13:12). The true believer knows that the construction of the new world knows how to receive the signals of this new light. Let us now hear how this light of the Risen One appears:

“When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?" They answered him, "No." So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something." So they cast it and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish”.

Now comes the dawn. The night is over. Jesus is standing on the shore. The disciples still do not know that it is Jesus. And the story becomes a parable. He 'Was standing'. Standing because He is risen. And it's not in the sea, but on the shore. The disciples are in the sea. He is on the solid ground. He has already reached his destination, the world of God. We remember what Paul, already an old man, says to Timothy: 'The time has come to take down the sails'... It is a very beautiful comparison because it means that the conclusion of life is a farewell to something wonderful because when one goes out of a place is to find a better one.

You leave this land to go to new coasts and take down the sails. Jesus has already reached the definitive beach. He fulfilled his mission, but he has not abandoned the community of disciples. He is always interested in the work they are developing amid the difficulties of fishing on the sea. And they do not know that it is Jesus. It's him, but it's not him anymore! He is always the same person but in a condition that is not the same as before, when they could embrace him, they could see him with physical eyes.

Then, they begin to intuit who this character is... it's him, but he's not the one as before. And they hear his voice: "Children, do you have anything to eat? The original text says: do you have something to put on the bread? Something to add to the food that I already have. This word 'children': ...=we are not children of Jesus... we are children of the Father of heaven, but this word indicates the tenderness of Christ who always remains in love with his disciples and is attentive to what happens to them; those who are still working in this world. And 'something to add to the bread' is something that the disciples are also called to carry, to add to the bread that he already has. The response of the disciples is a dry one: NO. Full of disappointment, they have not understood.

And how many times we too, despite working with skill and perseverance, keep groping at night and finish with nothing in our apostolic activity. Think of how many efforts people make to build a lasting peace. How many are the cleverness of politicians who are often only guided by national interests. They are working at night. They will never build a world of peace. There will be interruptions between one war and another. When people, to reach this goal of a world in peace, allow themselves to be guided by their selfishness, by their stratagems.

How many efforts are made to overcome hunger in the world... If we are guided by human criteria, we are still in the dark ... we work at night. We will not get good results. We will build bombs, we will use all our resources, but we will not achieve the humanizing objective of achieving what is necessary for a decent life for all. Or the efforts we make to solve the problem of pollution and climate change. But we do not get it because we want to safeguard all our egoism. Or we want to build a society founded on solid values, to overcome illnesses, pains, loneliness, put an end to injustice, poverty... but according to our criteria. We will not get results.

Without the Word of the Gospel, we continue in darkness and if we do not listen to His Word we will not get the results. If, instead, we pay attention to the Word that the Lord has left us, then we will commit ourselves in daily life guided by the Gospel. And, at the center of every project, of every search, we will look for the good of people, not selfishness, not national or personal interests. We will seek fraternity, human dignity for all, the renunciation of our own interests, our own benefit to give life to others.

What does Jesus say to obtain results in this fishing? "Throw the net to the right of the boat and you will find". The right part is the good part of the person. The instinct had led these seven fishermen to throw the net on the wrong part, the bad part. We all have a good part and a bad part. From what part can we hook people to get them out of the inhuman situation in which they live? We are tempted to throw in the bad part ... with the insults, with bad words... 'you do not serve at all' ... look what you do ... Jesus says: NO. Throw the net to the good part. That is, hook into what that person has as positive, and you will get him out.

Then the network is brought to the ground. We will find a multitude of people saved from these waters. And now enters the scene the disciple, beloved by the Lord, who knows how to recognize in the Risen One, the Jesus of Nazareth that they have known. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

Who is this disciple that Jesus loved? It's not John. He represents the authentic disciple. He who, amid so many voices that give suggestions, knows how to recognize the voice of the Master and indicates to the brothers and sisters the Master that should guide their activities. Let's see what happens when this beloved disciple says to Peter: "It's the Lord." And what Peter does now ... It could not be a chronicle ... because the evangelist says: "he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad and jumped into the sea.” One does not tighten the tunic to throw yourself into the water! He should already have it on because when fishing at night, it's cold and you have to protect yourself. And if later one jumps into the water, the tunic is removed.

What does Peter’s action mean upon hearing the voice of the beloved disciple who makes him recognize the word of the Lord? It is important the verb that is used here, is: διεζώσατο 'diezózato' - 'diashónimi' which is very rare, it appears only twice in the New Testament. It happens here when Peter puts it on and appears when Jesus puts on his apron to serve. That apron that Peter refuted because he did not want to be a servant and even less wanted that Jesus behaved like a servant because then he should also behave like the Master.

Note that when he hears the beloved disciple who says to him: 'it is the voice of the Master', Peter puts on this garment. It's the apron that he had rejected. Note that the first person taken out of the waves of the sea is Peter. And this is the moment when he fully adheres to the Master's proposal. Then he throws himself into the water. It is the image of the baptismal waters. Peter has put on the apron that characterizes the true disciple and throwing himself into the water... these are the waters of baptism where all presumptions, guilt, old life, those convictions that lead you to a life that was not that of a child of God are removed, and when you emerge from this water you are a new person, clothed in those garments that characterize the Christian. This is what Paul says, writing to the Colossians: "Cover yourselves with feelings of deep compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience ..." (Col 3:12). And, in the letter to the Romans: "Cover yourselves with Christ" (Rom 13:14). The true disciple is one who, when someone finds him, recognizes him as an image of the Master.

“The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish”.

The boat represents the Church ... it's not big, it's a boat, but it has a big mission to fulfill. And this boat, which represents the Church that brings people out of a situation of death and brings them to life. What will be the result of the work of these disciples? Let's listen. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught." So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast." And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?" because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was how Jesus revealed himself to his disciples for the third time after being raised from the dead. When the disciples come down from the boat they see on the shore: embers, fish and bread. The text does not say that they have seen Jesus. They see the embers. And this term: ἀνθρακιὰν - 'anfrakía' appears only twice in the Gospel. Once here and also when Peter rejects the Master. Peter has here the memory of his past experience, when he was afraid to unite his life totally to Christ, and now, facing this ember, when he comes out of the water, he finds the Christ to whom he now gives his very existence. Now he has come out of the water. He has clothed himself with Christ, with new life.

And they do not see Jesus, but: ὀψάριον (fish) - igzís - which is an acronym: Jesus - Christ - Son of God - Savior. And bread. Christ has also become bread; his whole life was a life given for the food of brothers and sisters. “Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught." And in fact, Peter got into the boat and dragged the net full of big fish to the beach. It is the fruit of the mission of the Church that takes Christ to the people who have been taken out of the pagan condition where they were. And full of "one hundred fifty-three big fish."

This number has received many interpretations, but all come to the same conclusion: it indicates the fullness of the result that will obtain this mission that Jesus has entrusted to the Church: that of leading all humanity... 153. In all the interpretations, it indicates the totality of humanity, therefore, universal salvation for all. And now Jesus makes the Eucharistic gesture: “Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish." Also, that fish that they have taken to him.

Let us note then the Eucharistic life of this community. What does it mean to let yourself be saved? It means letting oneself get out of a condition where one moves in an egoistic way, where one thinks of oneself and, therefore, one lives in a dehumanizing way ... letting oneself be taken out to become food for the life of brothers and sisters. Food for the life of the brothers and sisters has been the whole life of Christ, consummated by love. Now, this new community is made up of all those who offer their own life for the joy and life of the brothers and sisters. And with this Eucharistic image the Gospel text on which we have meditated is concluded.

I wish everyone a good Easter and a good week.