That Jesus would choose, as his first resurrection act, to have fish ready and roasting for his friends after a long night of fishing and grief the morning following resurrection day, makes my heart glad.
I can only imagine how confused and heartsick the disciples were that first night of fishing without Jesus around. I know how sad I am when I find myself grieving the loss of a friend to physical death or to the starvation of the relationship. Life without people we love and who inspire us, is hard. There is jesus, on the beach – not preaching, nor worshiping God, nor organizing the new church. Jesus is just crouched on the sand, in view of the disciples, roasting fish for their breakfast.
The notion re-orients my understanding of how we encounter Jesus in our own spiritual lives. Not a stern messenger from an angry-God-old-man. Not a teacher trying to get us to pay better attention to our life-lessons. Not a hippie-God tweaked out on visions. Just a kind, gentle, real, physical man who is roasting fish for his friends after they had been working the night shift.
I do not go to Jesus to get led. I go to Jesus to get fed. The leading happens along the way.
