He returned to his home from Jerusalem.
He began fishing again, his ordinary job in Galilee.
The last three years he had walked and worked with Jesus.
It seemed like a dramatic dream: unexpected, exciting, awe-inspiring,
and frustrating, painful, confusing, shameful.
His heart always burned for Jesus;
His mind was very quick and wise to follow Jesus:
“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (1)
He was the outstanding student who astonishes his teacher;
He did not consider any condition apart from following Him:
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (2)
“Blessed are you, for this was not revealed to you by man,
but by my Father in heaven.” He was recognized by Him. (3)
He is still wandering in that night when he betrayed Jesus. (4)
He still cannot accept the Resurrection for his guilt.
The promise to meet again in Galilee (5) is uncomfortable.
The dark shadow has followed him since that night.
His heavy heart was broken, and
His bitter tears again flowed out as on that dark night
when asked a third time, “Do you truly love me?”
“Lord, you know that I truly love you.”
“Feed my sheep.” (6)
With his broken heart and bitter tears,
Simon Peter, fisherman, became the rock of the early church.
Rev. Yong Sub Sim
Poem based on John 21:15-17
(1) John 6:68-69
(2) Matthew 16:16
(3) Matthew 16:17
(4) Matthew 26:69-75
(5) Matthew 28:7
(6) John 21:17
