“where do you go in tough times?"

From Safari…..

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! In my youth I remember going fishing with my dad in the winter. We set up the fish house, drilled the holes, and fired up the heater. We sat patiently waiting for the fish to take the bait. It was a slow fishing day. Suddenly my bobber took off down the hole like a rocket. I quickly grabbed the line and started pulling in what seemed to be a big fish. As I began to pull it up the hole, it filled the space. And in another blast of energy the fish took off again, the line cut my hand, in the process I dropped the line and as the fishing pole lodged itself across the hole, the fish snapped the line. Believe it or not! I am sure others here could tell some interesting fishing stories. Stories about the big one that got away, the fish that grows with each telling of the story. We just heard a fish story from the Gospel of John. The disciples, fishing at night, during prime time, had caught nothing. I am sure they were tired and were coming into shore. But Jesus encourages them to cast the net again. And 153 large fish were caught. John includes this fish story to convey important truths. Unlike some of the fishing legends we hear or tell, John assures us that Jesus is always present in our lives, especially in the moments of hardship. The depth of God’s love is not an exaggeration. Some scholars have suggested the 153 fish indicates God desires all to be in his kingdom. Earlier in the Gospel John shares that God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but to save it. Jesus came not to exclude but to include. Like the disciples who come up empty while fishing through the night, there are moments in our lives when we question and struggle. We become saddened by the violence and loss of life in Gaza, Ukraine and other war torn countries. Gang shootings and killings happen nightly across our country. Friends are diagnosed with cancer. Families are fractured by divorce. Loved ones die. There are worries about finances. Will I have a job tomorrow. How to keep children safe. John’s question to us, “where do you go in tough times? Go Shopping? Get busy? Give up? Run away from confrontation? Turn to the comforts of food, drugs, alcohol, sex, TV?” John says to us, “In our moments of question and struggle, Jesus says to us, come to me. Come to breakfast” At Mass, we hear stories of God’s love, mercy, and compassion. We sing songs praising God, and we partake of the body and blood of Christ. Through these rituals we recognize Christ in one another and we are sent out to cast the net. Sent out to visit a neighbor; to bring the good news to a coworker, to befriend someone who is lonely, to welcome the stranger, and to offer forgiveness. We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song! Fr. Ron