FISH # 154

The title of my homily is, “Fish # 154.”

This is a story. Let’s see if this works.

Once upon a time there was this great group of fish – a school of fish as they call a community of fish – 154 fish in all – and they lived in a nice big lake – called Galilee.

At one time it was called the Sea of Tiberius – named after the Roman Emperor, Tiberius.

Big shots, politicians, famous folks often like lakes and schools named after them.

Well, anyway, this was a very smart school of fish. When fishermen threw their nets off the right side of their boats, these 154 fish would be on the left and when fishermen threw their nets off on the left side of their boats, this school of fish would be on the right side of their boats.

As I said, this was a very smart school of fish. As a result, they were never caught. As a result they became really big fish.

And as in any school, there were rivalries. Some fish raced to be faster than others; some jumped higher; some dived lower. Competition rules the waves as well as the land. So there was jealousy and pride and pushiness at times amongst these fish – but all in all, the 154 hung together. It was not sink or swim. It was either swim or be caught.

Well, surprise, one late, late, late night, or almost early, early, early morning a stranger stepped into those waters and quietly with a single swing of a small net he caught one fish.

The school sensed something so they swam out of harm’s way into the deeper waters as fast as possible.

“Woo, that was close,” they said to each other.

Well, everyone was scared.

“Who was that fisherman? We thought we knew all the fishermen in these waters.”

Someone said, “Number 154 was getting old. That’s what happens when you don’t keep up your swimming techniques.”

They were now 153 fish.

 Number 154 was now on the shore.

The lone fisherman, a stranger, stood there in the early, early, early morning preparing that 154^th fish for breakfast. He cut the fish’s head off first. Ooooh! That hurt. And he calmly placed the head down on the ground – eyes facing a fire. Then he cut the fish in half – and fitted it on a piece of wood, a spit, that was in the shape of a small cross to put it on the fire.

And the dead fish was thinking, “Well, I guess this is what life’s all about – dying to give your life so others might live.”

Just then the sun began to rise as the sun always does.

And the lone fisherman by the fire on the shore of the lake could hear a boat headed his way coming towards shore.

They were young men, fishermen, and the stranger yelled out, “Did you catch any fish?”

And they yelled back, “No, there were no fish out there last night.”

The stranger’s voice sounded  a tiny bit familiar.

And the 154 fish listening down below laughed, because once more they outfoxed, oops, out fished,  the fishermen.

And the stranger on the shore said, “Cast your net off the right side of the boat and you’ll find something.”

And they did.

Surprise their nets were filled – with such a great catch of fish – they couldn’t pull the net to shore.

One of the fishermen yelled, “It is the Lord.”

One of the other fishermen jumped into the water and headed for the Lord.

The other fishermen pulled the net full of fish toward the shore. They were not too far out.

When they landed they saw the fire and they saw the fish on the spit and some bread.

And the stranger said, “Have some breakfast.”

And they knew it was the Lord.

And the one who used to do all the counting was gone. Judas was his name. So the other disciples counted the fish, 153 – and they kept them in the water in the net – so as to keep them fresh – and they all wondered what was going to happen next.

Up to that moment - they thought the Big Fisherman named Jesus - was just a dream - a dream they dreamed - and it was good.

But when he was arrested and killed on a cross, they figured that was it. No more bread, no more wine, no more crowds, no more adventure, no more healings, no more preaching,   no more life with Jesus.

As they ate that breakfast, as they ate the fresh fish, as they ate the fresh bread, they knew - as if it was a sunrise staring them right in the face, this was only the beginning - like back on the beach that first day he called us - like that first day we had the big catch, and he said, “Come follow me! I’m going to make you fishers of others.” 

And yes, on that beach, on that morning, once more they heard him say, “Come follow me.”

And fish #154 saw it all - well sort of.