Jump In April 13

It was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. Acts 4:10-11

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. John 21:7-8

Piety

Lord, when I am afraid, alone or angry, come to my side as you came to the side of your disciples in the reading today. Come to me with your assistance because you are my strength and support. You are my savior. Amen.

Study

When faced with the unfamiliar and unknown, despite three years of walking throughout the region with Jesus, the disciples were ready to abandon all that they had learned and retreat back into their “comfort zone.” As they watched the society reject Jesus, they did not have a moral compass. The direction that had come into their lives was lost. They were floundering.

Without the leadership and companionship of Jesus or the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, they retreated back into their comfort zone as “fishermen” not “fishers of men.”

Jesus was not about to let them stay there. When they were feeling especially gloomy, the disciples reverted back into old habits. But Jesus was not about to let them stay there.

I like to imagine this scene as the reaction God is looking for when the gift of the sacrament of confirmation was offered. In baptism, the minister sprinkled holy water on the candidate. In confirmation, the candidate must dive in!

Jesus has too much invested in Peter – His Rock – and all of us to let us sit idly by. So He comes to us, makes us aware of His presence, shows us a special assignment and hopes we will jump right in.

When our family joined St. Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax nearly 20 years ago, there was a sign hanging in the gathering space of the Worship Center that read: “Christianity is not a spectator sport.” A picture of Peter jumping into the sea with the Lord on a distant shore would be a perfect companion.

Come on in. The living water feels great!

Action

Look in your church bulletin. Ask your pastor or parochial vicar or church staff. What volunteer jobs do they need to be completed? Be prepared to say, “Yes” and jump right in.