Savoring Easter - Jesus Appears to the Disciples at the Shore

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. … This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:1-13)

As the disciples’ reactions to Jesus’ appearance played out in my prayer, Inside Out (Pixar, 2015) came to mind. When Riley’s family moves from Minneapolis to San Francisco, upending her world, we watch Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger struggle in her mind and how that shows up in her life. I imagined the disciples, too, wrestling with a range of emotions. Their journey took an unwelcome turn, and they were completely disoriented, struggling to accept the new reality, uncertain what to do next.

A few years into my first career as a chemical engineer, I left the world of fruit juice product development behind, moving to a new city to make Cascade automatic dishwashing detergent. What a steep learning curve! My job was to oversee the quality lab and troubleshoot when equipment or ingredients acted up. I was also learning the art of helping people work together effectively in these circumstances. Even in joyful excitement of a new challenge, I was deeply missing friends and the way things used to be.

Like Peter, I tried to return to what had worked in the past but wasn’t making much progress and losing confidence. Some days I felt like the Sons of Thunder rendered silent, just going through the motions. Occasionally there were bright spots – brief encounters, breakthroughs that left me feeling like Thomas, wanting to believe a connection was made, followed by deep doubts that it had been real. Sometimes I could get out of my own anxieties long enough to ask coworkers about their stories and experience. Some were gracious enough to listen to my own. But nostalgia can be a dangerous temptation. Too much looking back kept me from looking ahead, from finding a new way forward.

Life is a series of resurrection moments. What are moments in your own life when joy wrestled with sadness? When did you ‘‘come ashore’ and find yourself fed by the Lord? When things were going from bad to worse, I accepted a new friend’s invitation to attend church. Support from a small faith group within the larger community, opportunities for bible study, and other faith formation, drew me into friendship with Jesus. One weekend a longtime friend visiting from out of town suggested we go to Mass. I remember the surprise of tears welling when I received Communion. This small taste of Christ’s body and blood eventually returned me to a Catholic practice of my Christian faith.

The only way out to Easter joy is through Good Friday’s painful sorrow. This year I accepted a friend’s invitation to join her for Via Crucis. Her parish community includes many migrant and refugee families from Mexico, Central, and South America. Some arrived in Chicago on their own. Others were sent from Texas after already unimaginable journeys.

Moving bilingual meditations at each station of the cross highlighted aspects of the migrant experience. The parishioners leading us through the neighborhood had spent months preparing, not only their lines, but also spiritually, praying through the experience they were now sharing with all of us. I try not to compare significant challenges in my life to theirs, but I find recalling my struggles helps put me in touch with how I experienced Jesus’ consolation through others, and how I might offer the same.

At the end of Inside Out (spoiler alert!) Joy and Sadness work together to save the day for Riley. Savoring Easter invites us to do the same. Sporadic warm days Chicago’s long chilly spring encourage buds and tender green leaves to emerge on barren tree limbs as brilliant tulips sway in the cool breeze. I’m praying for the grace to experience and savor signs of Jesus’ joy at his resurrection (cf. Spiritual Exercises #221). And when fickle emotional winds shift, I’m also praying to notice how he consoles as one consoles a friend (cf. Spiritual Exercises #224). Allow Jesus to reassure you, too, in any of your struggles and doubts. Draw close to the Easter fire to be warmed by his joy and love, fed by his mercy and compassion.

Going Deeper Together:

• Pray with a guided meditation of this scripture passage. Enter into prayer as the Spirit leads, making connections with your life and journey with Jesus.

• As we transition from the Easter season to Ordinary Time, check out Ignatian Ministries’ Ignatian Path of Prayer Series, each offering 6-weeks of prayer and reflection to deepen your connection to the mystery of God waiting for you each day.

• Are you 1 of the 153? Ignatian Ministries has kicked off our 153 Fish Spring Appeal. Our goal is to reach 153 monthly donors by Pentecost Sunday, May 19th. Help us hold the mission so that we can continue our value of generosity in offering retreats, prayer resources, and programming scholarships, establish and strengthen our infrastructure, and expand staff and systems to keep up with our rapid growth. Learn more and donate here.

Photo by Timon Studler on Unsplash

Jenéne Francis

Jenéne Francis is an aspiring contemplative in action who finds writing creative non-fiction and short fiction a fruitful spiritual practice. She also enjoys adapting and offering the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius for days of reflection and retreats. Jenéne recently retired from the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus after many years supporting Jesuits and colleagues who serve retreat houses, spirituality programs, parishes, and as hospital chaplains and other pastoral ministers. Having spent her first career at the Procter and Gamble Company in product development and manufacturing, followed by more than 20 years in Jesuit ministry, Jenéne gets great satisfaction offering her engineer’s head and poet’s heart for “the greater glory of God.”