Charcoal Fire

 I want to share in today's blog this beautiful talk that my friend, who is a Sister of Life, shared with me.   

 Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered him, "No." He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there was many fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"  John 21:4-7

When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there." John 21:9   

Why is the charcoal fire so significant? 

Talk on Mercy by Sr. Maria Kateri, Sisters of Life

(Sr. Maria Kateri is quoted and my reflections follow in bold font.)

"After hearing it is the Lord, Peter jumped into the sea and quickly swam to the shore. He then began running towards the Lord. But then, I imagined that Peter suddenly stopped. Why? Because his eyes fell upon the charcoal fire. As he stared at the fire, tears flooded his eyes, the memory of that night of his threefold denial was triggered and so was his agony. " 

Fear can paralyze us if we let it but the Lord tells us not to be afraid. 

He tells us to come to Him. 

"Although Peter had been forgiven, still he had not forgiven himself and this was a great burden he was carrying, a deep wound. Jesus wanted to heal Peter of this and so appears on the shore, just as the Lord wants to bring His healing mercy to each of us and appears on the shores of our lives."

Are you denying yourself forgiveness?  

Jesus wants to forgive you and He wants you to forgive yourself. 

He wants to give you His healing mercy. 

"Peter had denied the Lord three times. Now he is given an opportunity to make reparation by professing his love three times. The Lord knows Peter's great heart and with compassion He understands that Peter fell due to weakness and fear - like so many of us. So, the asking of Peter's love is not so much because the Lord needed to hear it but because Peter needed to say it. Love is more powerful than denial. There is healing in affirming his love for the Lord." 

Healing happened for Peter at the charcoal fire. 

"How awesome that the same scene where Peter fell - a charcoal fire - to be the scene where He healed him. the painful memory will be replaced by a loving memory." 

His love endures forever! 

His mercy endures forever! 

"This mercy is revealed in this beautiful beach scene of Jesus and Peter around the charcoal fire. I imagined Jesus stretching out his hand to Peter, when He asks a third time if Peter loves Him. This recalls the time when Peter walked on the water with Jesus but then began to sink and the Lord stretched out His hand, offering His saving help. Here, around the charcoal fire, as Peter professes his love for the third time, he takes the Lord's outstretched hand and looks into His merciful eyes. Then the Lord embraces Peter. Resting upon the Lord's beating heart, Peter stopped beating himself up. Healing. Mercy. Peace. "    

A new fire is lit within Peter! 

A fire that no longer burns but spreads light! 

He accepted the Lord's embrace! 

Will we accept His outstretched hand and look into His merciful eyes? 

The Lord wants to heal our charcoal fires with His merciful love.

 Will we let Him? 

Image by Nathan Lindahl