Quod Dominus apparuit discipulis ad mare Tiberiadis
The Fruitless Night and the Risen Shore
Seven disciples fish all night on the Sea of Tiberias with no success until the risen Lord appears at dawn and directs them to an overwhelming catch.
The disciples, however, stayed on in Galilee. Then on one occasion, seven of them went off to fish on the Sea of Tiberias, and caught nothing all night. When morning came, the Lord appeared to them again and stood on the seashore. Pay close attention to what happened here, because it is deeply moving. When the Lord asked whether they had caught anything and they answered no, he said, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat, and you'll find some." They cast it, and caught a great number of fish. John said to Peter: "It is the Lord." Then Peter, who was naked, wrapped a tunic around himself and quickly came across the sea to him; the others, however, came by boat. And when they had come ashore, they saw a fish laid on the coals, and bread already prepared; for the Lord had set this out for them.
The Lord Serves Them at the Shore
Christ hosts a joyful meal on the seashore, serving bread and fish to his disciples with humility and intimate, refreshing love.
He also had some of their fish taken and roasted, and eating together with them, he made a feast and a great celebration with them on the shore of the sea. And by his custom of humility, in the manner of — Philippians 3. — chapter 1, verse 23. Supplement. and. Serving them, he handed them bread and broke it; and he gave them fish in the same way.✦ So these seven disciples stand before their Lord with reverence and great eagerness; eating together with him, they gaze upon his lovely and delightful face, and they rejoice in their hearts. They receive delightful food from his most holy hands, and they are refreshed no less spiritually than bodily.
Do You Love Me?
After the meal, the Lord asks Peter three times if he loves him and entrusts him with the care of his flock.
What a feast that is! Look closely at each detail, and if you can, feast with them. Pay attention, then, to what follows, because it's deeply beautiful and profoundly helpful. When that solemn feast was over, the Lord said to Peter: Do you love me more than these?✦ And Peter said: Lord, you know that I love you.✦ The Lord said to him: Feed my lambs.✦ So by asking three times, he entrusted his flock to him. In this, consider the Lord's customary kindness, love, and humility.
Peter's Death Foretold
The Lord foretells Peter's future suffering and clarifies the differing paths of Peter and John, then vanishes from their sight.
You can see clearly, then, how carefully and affectionately he impresses, repeats, and entrusts our souls to Peter. Next, after these things, the Lord foretold Peter's death, saying: 'When you were younger, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wished.'✦ This signified that through the suffering of the cross he was about to glorify God. And when Peter asked about John: 'But what about him?'✦ The Lord answered: 'I want him to remain until I come.' As if to say: I don't want him to follow me through suffering, but he'll rest in old age and contemplation — although the other disciples understood that he wouldn't die.✦ But this was not a great gift, since it is better to depart and be with Christ.✦ You have considered how many and how magnificent are the deeds and words spoken in this appearance. After this the Lord vanished from them and, as was his custom, returned to the holy fathers.
Joyful Return
The disciples remain with great joy and then return to Jerusalem.
The disciples stayed behind with great joy, and afterwards they returned to Jerusalem, etc.
Read the original Latin
Discipuli vero adhuc remanserunt in Galilaea. Iverunt autem - quadam vice piscatum ad mare Tiberiadis septem ex ipsis, et per totam noctem nihil ceperunt. Mane facto, Dominus iterum apparuit eis, et stetit in httore maris, Attende autem hic quse acta sunt, quia jucundissima sunt. Queerens ergo Dominus, si aUquid cepissent, respondentibus, Non, dixit: Mittite in dexteram navigii rete, et invenietis. Miserunt ergo, et multitudinem magnam ceperunt. Dixit itaque Joanncs Petro: Dominus est. Tunc Petrus nudus existens, succinxit se tunica, et festinus venit per mare; alii vero navigio venerunt. Et cum descendissent, viderunl piscem positum super prunas, et panem paratum; Dominus enim hoc eis paraverat.
Fecit etiam accipi de piscibus eorum, et assari, et simul cum eis comedens, fecit convivium et festum magnum cum eis in Httore maris. Et consuetse humilitatis suae more ~ 3 Philip. , i, 23. Suppt. et. ministrans eis, panem eis porrexit, et fregit; et piscem sirailiter dedit eis. Stant ergo reverenter et multum alacriter isti septem discipuli cum Domino suo; pariter cum eo coraedentes, aspiciunt faciem ejus desiderabilem et jucundam, etexultant incordibus suis. Accipiuntde sacratissimis manibus ejus escas delectabiles, et reficiuntur non minus spiritualiter, quam corporaliter.
0 quale convivium est illud! Conspice bene singula, et si potes, pascaris cum eis. Attende nihilominus quae sequuntur, quia pulcherrima sunt ct utilissima. ISam completo isto solemni convivio, dicit Dominus Petro: Diligis me, plus his? Et Petrus: Domine, tu nosti, quia amo te. Dicit ei Dominus: Pasce agnos meos, etc. Sic ter interrogans, recommendavit ei gregem suum. In quo Domini benignitatem solitam considera, charitatem et humilitatera.
Aperte enim vides, quomodo diligenter aflfectuose imprimit, reiterat et recommendat Petro animas nostras. Iterum autem Dominus post haec praedixit Petro mortem ipsius, dicens: Cum esses junior, cingebas te, etc. , significans, quod per passionem crucis clarificaturus esset Deum. Et cum de Joanne Petrus quaereret: Hic autem quid? Dominus respondit; Sic eum volo manere, donec veniam; quasi dicat: Nolo quod per viam ]>assionis me sequatur, sed in senio et contemplatione requiescet: quamvis ahi discipuli inteUigerent, quod non moreretur. Sed non erat hoc magnum donum, cum ^ melius sit dissolvi, et esse cum Christo. Attendisti quam multa et quam magnifica facta et dicta sunt in hac apparitione. Post hoc disparuit Dominus ab eis, et more solito rediit ad sanctos patres.
Discipuli vero cum magno gaudio remanserunt, et post redierunt in Hierusaiem, etc
Scripture echoes
- ↩John.21.9-John.21.13 — When they came ashore, they saw a charcoal fire already laid, with fish placed on it, and bread. John.21.10 — Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." John.21.11 — So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to shore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not torn. John.21.12 — Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' But none of the disciples dared to ask him, 'Who are you?' — knowing that it was the Lord. John.21.13 — Jesus comes and takes the bread and gives it to them, and likewise the fish.
- ↩John.21.15 — When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
- ↩John.21.15 — When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
- ↩John.21.15 — When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
- ↩John.21.18 — Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not wish to go.
- ↩John.21.21 — When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, 'Lord, what about this man?'
- ↩John.21.22-John.21.23 — Jesus said to him, 'If it is my will for him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.' John.21.23 — So this rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but rather, 'If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?'
- ↩Phil.1.23 — But I am hard-pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for it is far better;
Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion
A scene a day, for life
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