1 Invitation

The chapter reveals the conversation that occurs between Jesus and Peter at Peter's home, after he helps them catch a great many fish. Peter struggles with what qualifies as a miracle.

I wasn't at my best the first time I met Jesus. My men and I had just brought both of the boats in after having been out for hours, since before the day’s light had broken. The nets had come up with hardly any fish at all, and my men were tired. When Andrew showed up talking about another preacher, the holy man the Baptist spoke of, I was not in a good mood.

When Jesus had suggested we go back out to try again, and Andrew encouraged it, I wanted to punch my brother. James, John, Andrew and I were all experienced fisherman. To suggest this holy man would land us a better catch than we could find ourselves was insulting. As Andrew urged me to take the boats out again, Jesus had just looked at me with eyes that were both penetrating and unsettling. Without knowing why, I gave in. “At your word, we will go out again.” It probably sounded even more sarcastic than I intended.

The catch was enormous and nearly tore the nets. There were more fish than I had ever caught at one time in my whole life, or in the long memory of the villagers, who were already calling it ‘the miracle catch.’ It caused a great commotion and we spent hours upon our return counting the fish into baskets to get them quickly to market. I could not sell all we caught; there were too many. We were soon selling two baskets for the price of one, and ended up giving away much it. I collected more than fourteen days wages, and that was after I paid the men, in both coin and fish. Business was good, and the whole village would eat well.

Andrew invited Jesus to our home, where we talked of the catch and the reactions of the people. Jesus mostly listened, sitting quietly. He closed his eyes for long moments, so long that twice I thought Jesus had fallen asleep. Each time though, as others would talk, Jesus would join in the conversation, sometimes without opening his eyes.

We conversed until late in the afternoon. James and John finally excused themselves, saying they were eager to go talk with their father Zebedee. “He will make us tell the whole story at least twice,” predicted James as the two left.

Jesus’ eyes remained closed until I addressed him, “Jesus?” He opened his eyes and smiled. “About the fish,” I began.

“There certainly were a lot of them,” Jesus answered, almost laughing.

“Yes,” I agreed. “More than I have ever caught before. Ever.” Jesus nodded but said nothing. “Was it a coincidence?” I wondered out loud.

“Do you think it was coincidence?”

“Well, we had been at it for hours.  James, John, Andrew and I, we know how to fish, and yet nothing! When you joined us, the size of the catch was unbelievable.”

“You do not believe it?”

“No. I mean it was …”

“A miracle?” Jesus suggested.

“I did not say that," I was defensive. "Only God can work miracles,”

“So it was normal? Predictable?” Jesus queried.

“Not at all," I said. "It was astounding.”

“Simon, if one of your neighbors told you the story that happened to you today, what would you have called it? What were the people of your of own village shouting when they saw the catch?”

“They said it was a miracle," I answered, "but people speak without thinking. They will say anything.”

“So do children," Jesus added,  "but they are often right.”

“So it was a miracle?” My doubt was obvious.

“Simon, how improbable does an event have to be in order to be a miracle? What qualifies as a miracle?”

I put my hand in my chin and stared at Jesus for several moments. Pondering the question, I began to think out loud. “Catching ten fish after a night of empty nets would not be very exciting. If we had caught fifty, the men would have been impressed. But there were hundreds of them. It was…”

I hesitated, and Jesus just waited. When I did not finish the thought, Jesus looked intently at me and noted, “You seem uncertain, Simon.”

I shook my head. "I'm not sure what happened. I don't know."

"I think that's normal," he reassured me. "Remember Moses?”

I blinked, confused. I had no idea what Moses had to do with fish. “Is this what prophets and holy men do? Speak in riddles so that no one ever really understands them?”

That made Jesus laugh. “But I am being perfectly clear, Simon. How do you think Moses reacted when he first saw the burning bush?

I shrugged and guessed, “He was probably frightened at first.”

Jesus nodded. “True. 'And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.' [1] What do you think his wife first said when he told her what he’d seen and heard?”

I glanced at my own wife. “She probably thought that the sun had gotten to him, or that he had taken ill. She could have thought that he was crazy.”

“Do you think he was crazy?” Jesus asked slowly.

“No!” I almost jumped off my pillow, leaping to the defense of God’s prophet. “Moses was the greatest of men. Chosen by God himself!”

Jesus remained seated. “But you admit that at first Moses was frightened, that he did not know. He had to test his perception, his belief. He had to test his faith in what he saw." He paused, and then finished. "Each man must do the same.”

I sat down again, habitually biting my lower lip in thought. I knew now what this prophet was saying. Jesus would neither confirm nor deny anything about the fish; it was up to me to decide. “How long do you think it took Moses?” I asked.

Jesus nodded, confirming the value of the question. “It is different for every man. If the answer is worth knowing, then let it take time. You do not have to decide today. Today you have only one question to answer.”

“And what is that?” I asked with a smile.

Jesus met my grin with a serious invitation. “Do you want to know more?”

I looked into the eyes of Jesus and answered him without hesitation.

“Yes, Jesus.”

Jesus nodded, but said nothing more. He lay down on the pillows and closed his eyes. I lay down as well, watching the face of Jesus until I fell into a sleep filled with boats, nets overflowing with fish, and my neighbors shouting, “It’s a miracle!”

* * *

Jesus rose early. I was quickly beside him, whispering so as not to disturb the rest of the house. “What is it, Jesus?”

“We must be going,” he whispered.

“Where are we going?”

“To Cana.”

“Today? Right now? Why are we going to Cana?”

“A cousin of mine is marrying. Come with me. I can promise good food and good wine."