With Jesus, all things are possible

Can we do anything without Jesus? The disciples who fished on the sea of Tiberiade spent the whole night without catching any fish. As soon as Jesus told them to direct their nets onto the right side, they trusted and obeyed him. In a short period, they caught a lot of big fish and the nets did not break despite the weight of them. The fish represent the diverse newcomers, and the nets the church that will stay stable no matter what, meaning Jesus’ church will continue to grow, with or without us.

To love Jesus more than anybody else, more than anything else, we need Jesus’ help, we need Jesus’s Grace. We can’t do it on our own. Peter tried to do it on his own in John 13:37, he said to Jesus, I will give my soul for you Jesus, I will die for you, Jesus. The night before they arrested Jesus, he then denied Jesus three times.
After his resurrection, Jesus helped Peter to be redeemed by asking him the following question three times: Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these, more than your fellow fishermen, more than your boat, more than your nets. Through these questions, Peter recognized his weakness, he responded, Jesus, you know that I love you, through that statement, you can feel in Peter’s attitude that we can only strongly love Jesus with his help.
Can we do anything without Jesus?
Let’s make a smart decision today: Love Jesus more than anybody else, more than your wife, your husband, your children, or your best friend.
Let’s make a smart decision today by loving Jesus more than anything else in our life, your beautiful house, your beautiful car. Can you do that? Of course, you can, it is an act of faith allowing you to receive the abundant grace of God. This love you have for Jesus is related not only to a positive answer by saying YES to him I love you, but more importantly to act accordingly, to help those in need even though you don’t know them. For example, the parishioners who donated to help the Ukrainian people, this is an act of love for Jesus, this is an act of Jesus’ love, they don’t expect anything in return from the receivers.

In spirit, Jesus is talking to you, to you, and to you, asking you do you love me more than these others? Two things are required: first, a positive answer- YES, I love you, Jesus. Second, to act accordingly to improve and save a life.
Right before Jesus’ crucifixion, Peter denied Jesus three times. Remember, Peter promised Jesus that he would die for him, and he would give his soul for Jesus. For three times, however, he failed to keep his promises. After the resurrection, Jesus talked to Peter one on one, he said: Peter, do you love me more than these, more than anything else. This dialogue helps us recognize that by ourselves we can’t do anything. we can try things a thousand times, and we will fail, a thousand times.

Can we do anything without Jesus?

Jesus’ presence in our Gospel this morning is his fourth apparition after his resurrection. He did all these apparitions, it is a way of assuring us, all things are possible. Let’s review. Firstly, Jesus appeared to Mary of Magdala who did not even recognize him- until Jesus called out to her Rabouni, meaning Master. It was only at that moment, with Jesus help, could she enjoy the glory of his resurrection. Without Jesus, we can do nothing.

In the second apparition, the disciples were hidden in a room. Jesus knew that they had great fear, he presented before them with grace and love, he told them: Peace be with you. The question is that what did the disciples do to deserve this peace? Did they defend Jesus when they crucified Him on the cross, no, most of them hid, Peter particularly who said previously to Jesus, he will die for Jesus denied him three times, then saying I don’t know this guy. The peace that Jesus offers the disciples is a spiritual gift, and an expression of grace.
In the third apparition, Jesus appears again, Thomas gets to touch the blessed wounds of Christ, and then exclaims “My Lord and my God! Jesus wants just to help Thomas to witness the risen Lord. Jesus is seeking us more than we are seeking him. He is seeking us to give us his grace and his love.

The fourth of Jesus’ apparition was in the sea of Tiberiade where the disciples fished the whole night without catching any fish. They were disappointed, but Jesus came and entered the boat and directed them cast their nets on the right side.

In a short period, they caught 153 big fish and the nets did not break. We can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens us, Paul said in his letter to the Philippians 4:13. So make a smart choice to make Jesus your best friend, a friend who will deny you in your difficult moment- Jesus is asking this question now: do you love me more than anybody else in your life? Just say YES Jesus, I love you more than anything else in my life.
Can we do something without Jesus?


As Jesus did talk to Peter one and one after all his wrongdoing before his crucifixion, so too he wants to talk to each of us one and one by asking each of us: do you love me more than anything else in your life?

Through his Spirit, Jesus wants to appear to us, giving us an opportunity this morning to love him deeply so that we may receive his grace, his love to accomplish the ministry that he has called us to do in God’s mission, as he did for Peter.
Jesus’ apparition is all about grace and love. After Jesus’ resurrection, he appeared to about 500 people on diverse occasions to share God’s grace and God love, and abundant grace and abundant love.
Jesus began his ministry by sharing an abundance of grace through the miracle of water into wine, with all people in the wedding at Cana in Galilea, and he closes his ministry through the miracle of the fish, by sharing with all fishermen by the sea of Tiberiade, an abundance of grace by which we all have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, according to Paul in Ephesians 2:8.

We can do nothing without Jesus. The multitude of fish that the disciples catch on the sea of Tiberiade is coming from Jesus who directs them. With Jesus, things we can’t even imagine can happen. With Jesus all things are possible. With Jesus we are strong, and let’s love him more than anybody else.