John 21:1-19
This morning’s Gospel reading comes from near the end of John’s Gospel. We read John throughout the Easter season. You may remember that we also read John on Good Friday. The lectionary appoints John’s version of the Passion story for Good Friday.
I want to remind you of part of that reading:
Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus…. The woman said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’ Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing round it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.A few verses later Peter is still standing by the fire…
...warming himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed (John 18:15-18, 25-27).
Did you catch this one detail from this morning’s reading? The disciples have seen the Lord and when they had gone ashore, “they saw a charcoal fire there” (John 21:9).
How have I missed the charcoal fire all these years? Peter again being questioned next to a charcoal fire.
Jesus said to Simon Peter,
"Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep (John 21:15-17).The parallel between these two scenes is powerful and intentional. There’s no particular significance to the charcoal fire except to cement the parallelism between these two passages. We are definitely meant to remember Peter’s three denials as we listen to his three affirmations of love.
The third time Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, Peter is a bit annoyed. And he says, Lord you know that I love you, you know everything. We might wonder if Jesus was tempted to say: Yes, Peter, I do know everything. And I remember exactly what you said the last time you were standing next to a charcoal fire. I wasn’t there, but I do know everything, and I know what you said. So, are you sure that you love me?
Many people who have read and studied this passage have observed that in this encounter, Jesus isn’t just being a pest when he probes Peter over and over and over again—three times. He’s actually reassuring Peter. And Jesus is giving Peter the chance to be just as emphatic in his expression of love as he was in his denial. What’s really happening here is Jesus is saying, Peter I love you. Over and over and over again. Peter I love you. I know what you did. I do know everything. I know exactly what you said and did by that first charcoal fire. And I still love you. And I’m giving you the chance to put right what you did… To replace each of your denials with an expression of love.
Even the depth of your denial, Peter, cannot estrange you from me. I love you and I will always welcome, always invite, your renewed love in return. No matter what you’ve done or said in the past. I will always come back to you and say: I love you still, do you love me?
Easter is not just about life renewed after death. It’s about love renewed. It’s about the restoration and renewal of love between Peter and Jesus, between each of us and Jesus.
Thinking about charcoal fires brought to mind the Easter Vigil. Pretty much every Episcopal clergy person I know will tell you that the Easter Vigil is their favorite service of any throughout the year. It’s the most powerful, the most meaningful, the most spiritual. If you weren’t there, you’ve missed it this year, but come sometime if you never have.
It begins gathered around a charcoal fire. We gather in the dark out in front of the outdoor altar. We gather around a fire, called “the new fire.” It is a new fire, kindled just for this Easter. And we say these prayers:
Dear friends in Christ: On this most holy night, in which our Lord Jesus passed over from death to life, the Church invites her members, dispersed throughout the world, to gather in vigil and prayer. For this is the Passover of the Lord, in which, by hearing his Word and celebrating his Sacraments, we share in his victory over death.Then we bless the new fire.
O God, through your Son you have bestowed upon your people the brightness of your light: Sanctify this new fire, and grant that in this Paschal feast we may so burn with heavenly desires, that with pure minds we may attain to the festival of everlasting light; through Jesus Christ our Lord.That’s cool enough, but that’s just the beginning. Then we light this candle, the Paschal candle, from that new fire. The Light of Christ. Lighting individual candles, we spread the Light of Christ among ourselves and carry it into the darkened church.
The Paschal Candle obviously isn’t a charcoal fire, but we do gather around it. One of the times we gather around this holy flame is for baptisms. When God says to the newly baptized: You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever. The Prayer Book reminds us that the bond which God establishes in baptism is indissoluble.
No matter what we may say or do in our lives. No matter how often we may deny Christ or how far we may stray, Jesus will always be right with us, waiting and eager to say to us what he said to Peter. You are mine. Forever. I love you. I still love you. Do you love me?
