Let’s spend some time reviewing today’s Gospel, a rather long passage filled with events, details and meaning.

The story unwinds with a group of disgruntled men, underemployed fishermen, who had placed their confidence in Jesus. But this Jesus had been crucified and died. So, filled with sorrow, they are also discouraged. Peter, being a type of leader, says to the group something like: “Well, we have to get on with our lives. So, I am going fishing.” The others join in. This was not recreational fishing but rather fishing to make a living and fishing to get something to eat.

They spend the night fishing, but insult is added to injury. They think that they failed in choosing a leader, Jesus, and now they were unsuccessful at what they used to do for a living. Towards dawn, they see a man on the shore, but could not make out who it was, possibly because of the early morning mist. In response to his question, the disciples tell him that they have caught nothing.

Then, the man tells them to do something very strange: “toss the net over the right side of the boat.” This unexpected detail makes us wonder how different the availability of fish could be from one side of the boat to the other. The result was miraculous – 153 fish, not just fish, but the Gospel writer clearly details that they were large fish. Eventually, Peter recognizes Jesus and rushes to be with him on shore.

What is happening in all of this? In this short story, that appears to be merely recounting an event, Jesus is teaching his disciples and is teaching us.

The disciples are like us. We work hard. Sometimes our work produces great results, and sometimes it appears that our work does nothing for us or for anyone else. Jesus, from the shore, gave them an alternative means to reach their goal, a means that should not have worked – use the right side instead of the left.

Then, what about the 153 fish. Why be so specific? Zoologists at the time the Gospels were written believed that there were 153 different kinds of fish. Thus, the message of Jesus and the ministry of the apostles should go to the whole world.

Then, we have Jesus asking three times whether Peter loves him. Three times, Peter responds with “yes.” Three acts of love, acts of faith from Peter that are better understood when compared with his triple denial of Jesus just before the crucifixion.

The lessons of today’s Gospel are abundant. Like the disciples, we may sometimes not be able to recognize the Lord even though he is standing, not at the shore, but at the edge of our lives. Some mist, some cloudy thinking might keep us from seeing the God who is looking for us.

In addition, if we have always found God on the left, and I don’t mean politically, then maybe, like the disciples, we should throw our nets out on the right. The abundance of what God will give us is unlimited. Just as the disciples had the 153 fish, the nets were sufficient. So, too, ourselves, our lives will bear much fruit by following where Jesus is leading us even if we might feel uncomfortable.

Indeed, like Peter, we have denied our Lord, if not in words certainly by our sins. But those sins can be removed by admitting our guilt seek forgiveness as did Peter and profess our faith and our love of the Lord.

Today reminds us that, left to ourselves, we catch nothing. Following Our Lord, abundance can flow in and through our lives.