Prayer Warrior…
Your sig line has always fascinated me, since I
learned of it some years back…
I see this episode as a contrast to the earlier
fishing story when the disciples didn’t know
Jesus very well. In that instance they lost many
fish and the boats were almost swamped.
In John’s account, in chap 21, the disciples,
including Peter, followed the Lord’s command
without question and had a very successful
catch, without tearing the nets. (Unity with the
Father through Christ).
Also, of interest, the number of fish is actually
included… 153. That number was of great
interest to me, and still is for that matter!! I have
heard a few things about the 153… that it could
mean there were 153 Roman provinces at that
time… or… there were 153 known species of
fish at this time of history. Ideally it seems to
mean that the “fish” which were to be brought
into the boat, (the church), were to be from
every nation, ethnicity and tongue (the universal,
catholic church).
This church, built upon the foundation of the
Rock, Jesus Christ, had as its first builders the
apostles and prophets who built its first layer.
All those who followed from that time on have
done so with the inspiriation of the Holy Spirit,
who leads us into all truth.
Paul, who identified himelf as the apostle to the
Gentiles, is actually the one to whom God
revealed the mystery of the church. His writings
are replete with references to this mystery of
Christ and the church, the Bride.
It is my belief that all Christian religions, who
profess Christ, who baptize in His name and who
are filled with the Holy Spirit, regardless of their
denominational “tag,” are fellow laborers in God’s
vineyard, building up the body of Christ.
All of these people are included in the 153 fish,
found in the net. It takes the eyes of faith to
actually see them, not just geneologies of popes,
patriarches, tenets and biblical translations.
As St. John plainly states… “Where loves is,
God is.”
I can’t pretend to have a simplistic answer to what
the “church” really is… I couldn’t adequately
describe what the full meaning of the Eucharist
is either. Some things are too big to wrap our
inadequate minds around. “God’s ways are not
the ways of man.” “Who can know the mind of
God?”
Blessings on you and all other readers that
happen by…
Cactus Jack
