ENDINGS
INTRODUCTION
The title of my homily is, “Endings.”
This homily for this Third Sunday after Easter is more educational and informational – than inspirational.
Since today’s gospel is the ending chapter of The Gospel of John – the theme of endings hit me.
We all know the rule: “You don’t tell others how the movie ends!”
However, we know how the Jesus story ends. Jesus dies.
But we also know the surprise: Jesus rises from the dead – and the ending never ends. That’s what we are celebrating each Easter season. We are the continuation of the story of Jesus – we are part of the ongoing story of the Risen Christ in our world.
GOSPELS
It’s interesting how the 4 gospels begin. It’s also interesting how the 4 gospels end. When we are reading the gospels, we are looking at documents that have 4 schools of thought – from 4 personalities – from 4 early communities of Christians – all trying to educate and immerse each other in the Jesus story and its implications for our lives.
Those who read scripture and pay attention to the readings, know there are differences – like the major difference between the Gospel of John and the other three gospels, Mathew, Mark and Luke. Those three together are called the Synoptic Gospels – from the Greek words: “syn” the Greek prefix for “with” – and “opticos” the Greek word for “appearance” – what we see with our eyes – that we can read Mathew, Mark and Luke with the same eye – because they borrowed from each other – and developed from each other, so they look somewhat like each other. The Gospel of John is different. It’s very unique.
Last Sunday’s gospel from John ended with these words, “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name.” [John 20: 30-31]
Various scholars think that was the end of The Gospel of John at one time – but then Chapter 21 was added on – to try to get a few more points in.
It’s like you’re sitting here in church – wondering when the priest is going to end his sermon. He says the words, “in conclusion” or “finally” and you say to yourself, “Aha, good, he’s about to end.” But surprise, he launches into something else – and you say, “No!”
When we were taught preaching, we were told, “Be very careful of saying, ‘finally’ unless you mean, you’re finally going to end.”
CHAPTER 21: THE SECOND ENDING CHAPTER OF JOHN
Today’s gospel reading as you noticed was long. It gives us the whole last chapter of John – all except for the ending two verses. So here are those two verses. Listen and notice if they sound familiar – as in a comparison to the ending of Chapter 20 – which I read to you a few moments ago. “This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true. There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written.” [John 21: 24-25]
Okay. Did anything in today’s gospel reading – grab you – for something to chew upon this week – the hope of every homily?
Here are 7 possible leads – 7 possible things to chew upon::
We were also taught in preaching classes and training – never to do this – because people start saying to themselves, “Oh my God, he’s got 4 more to go.” Two or three points are enough.
I gave the commencement address for our high school seniors in 2007 and gave 7 points – and Father Jack Kingsbury ever since has been busting me with the comment, “Good thing you didn’t do this in 1999 or 2014.”
Having said that, here are 7 quick possible leads to chew on for this week. Notice the adjective, “quick”.
1) What are you fishing for? Is fishing a metaphor for life? What am I after, desiring, wanting, hungering for in life? What am I trying to catch? Underwater is a great image of the unknown – the unseen. What have I caught so far? What am I still fishing for? What am I hoping to catch?
2) Without Jesus we catch nothing; following Jesus’ directions for life, we can catch a lot. Here in John, it’s the same scene as in the first call of the disciples – the story especially of Peter from The Gospel of Luke 5:4-10. Peter and his friends had fished all night and caught nothing. When Jesus tells them where to throw their nets, they catch nets full of fish. In Luke they get two boats filled with fish. Here in John they get 153 fish. Notice the adjective “large” – as in “large fish”. There are several theories on what the 153 stands for. This is a great move by John. It gives preachers and speculators for the past 2000 years or so to guess and give answers what the 153 symbolizes. Whatever. However the main message is: if the Christian goes it alone – expect empty nets; if the Christian – as well as the Church goes it with Christ – expect full nets.
3) Jesus likes to eat with people. We find this all through the gospels. It’s not good to be alone. It’s not good to eat alone. Company is good. Community is good. Church is good. Family is good. Friendships are good. Notice in this scene the two foods are bread and fish. When John mentions bread, it is an obvious signal. Bread is important to Jesus – who is described as the bread of life. John devotes a whole chapter to bread: Chapter 6. Also notice the word “fish”. A fish is the early Christian symbol of Christ. We’ve all seen that image on the back of cars. It means the driver of this car is Christian: he or she doesn’t beep, give wild hand gestures and he or she always gives others the right of way. “IXTHUS” is the Greek word for “fish”. Each letter of “IXTHUS” spells out a description of Jesus. “I” stands for “Jesus”. There is no “J” in Greek; “X” stands for “Christos” – the anointed one; “Th” – “theta”, one letter in Greek, stands for “Theos” the word for God in Greek; “U” standing for “uios” – “the son”, and “S” – stands for “soter” Savior in Greek. Good stuff here.
4) Reconciliation between Jesus and Peter. We know from the gospels that Peter denied Jesus 3 times – so we have the famous – “Do you love me” dialogue – when Jesus asks Peter 3 times, “Do you love me?” Was this a very early sermon someone came up with that John had to include it in his gospel? We don’t know – but preachers have loved it ever since. It’s so real. We know from our experiences with relationships – if we have betrayed or denied another – it’s no easy task for healing and recovery. It takes time and repeated returnings to the hurt – for a recovery. Anyone who cheated on a girl or boy friend or spouse knows this very well. We can’t get off the hook too easily.
5) How we are going to die. Today’s gospel has this great scene about endings right near the end of the chapter. Jesus says the obvious: when we are young, we put on our own belt and walk wherever we want to walk – but when we’re old – someone else is going to take over. Talk about nursing home experiences. I have heard people say several times, “I don’t like going to nursing homes – because it triggers all my fears and angst about my old age.” Any of us who have more and more senior moments – and more and more senior trips to the bathroom at night – have more and more wonderings about the burden of our last days. We don’t know the when and the how.
6) Follow me! John says right at the end of his gospel – what Jesus said at the beginning of the gospels, “Follow me!” Put one foot in front of the other – and follow Jesus. Or put both those feet on the stainless steel plates for one’s feet on the wheel chair and enjoy the ride – around the nursing home waving and greeting everyone – and if they wheel you outside, enjoy the flowers, the sky, the sight and sound of birds, and breathe in the fresh air. Amen.
7) Endings: We are going to die. We have an ending. Let’s hope someone gives us a great eulogy – that we caught some good stuff in our life – that we experienced love and forgiveness, and that we broke bread with others and with Jesus – often! And we died with belief in the Risen Christ. Amen.
