Janet and I both grew up in Beverly Hills on the south side of Chicago. Our families, and most of our friends, were Christian, but not Catholic. In fact, there was quite a divide between the two faith traditions. Janet’s family and mine both attended Trinity Methodist Church, where we met at the age of 5, were confirmed in at the age of 13 and were married there in 1973. In fact, my Mom and Dad were married at Trinity in 1948.
Many of the Catholic families attended St. Barnabas and sent their children to the school there. Back in the day, it’s like the kids in Beverly had to pick a side based on their upbringing – Catholic, or not… It really was quite divisive and most of us had nothing to do with the kids from the “other” school. In all honesty, we didn’t know any better. That was just the way it was.
As our generation grew up, the lines blurred somewhat and things weren’t as polar as they had been during our elementary school years. And now, many of our closest friends are Catholic.
In fact, I helped a dear friend of mine start a ministry called Catholic Business Exchange (CBE) about 20 years ago, just after several friends and I started Chaplains at Work, our workplace ministry that served the needs of those folks who were struggling with unemployment. We helped churches to start their own career transition ministries, both Protestant and Catholic churches. Being out of work has nothing to do with what religion you practice.
Jim, the founder of CBE, became a dear friend of mine and we still get together periodically throughout the year. In fact, I was one of the first speakers at their monthly meeting and seminar series when CBE was started. Which brings us to the topic this evening. I found out that Jim was involved and actually helped cook fish each Friday night during Lent one of the local Catholic churches, a tradition we Protestants never followed.
He encouraged me to stop by and try the dinner. I didn’t think that we would be welcome (probably a throwback to our childhood) but Janet and I decided to give it a try several years ago. To cut to the chase, we loved it. The people were wonderful, we were welcomed into the community, we donated to their ministries and it became a tradition with us.
In fact, for the last several years, we head to the local Catholic church, get in line, order our dinner and then enjoy a wonderful meal every Friday during the season of Lent. We wouldn’t miss it – we actually make sure that we are in town so we don’t skip a night. Not only that, you have a choice of fried fish with French fries, crab cakes or salmon. Each entree comes with applesauce, green beans, silverware and all the accompaniments. Janet loves the crab cakes but I like the fried fish option. We see the same folks each week who recognize our car, take our order and usually have the order ready to go in as we pull up. It is, all in all, a delightful experience – every time.
I would go so far as to say that it is a contributing factor to our spiritual growth and celebrating that we serve the same God, believe in Jesus and have a shared desire to serve others… And I can’t believe the orders of fish that they serve each week! It’s incredible. Fisherman play an important role in the New Testament. We know that Jesus recruited fishermen as his disciplines and promised them that they would become “fishers of men.”
Tonight’s verse is about the restoration of Peter, signifying the grace and forgiveness of God, after Jesus served the disciples a breakfast of fish on the shore post resurrection. They had just caught so many fish that they couldn’t haul them in. Jesus asks Peter three questions about love and Peter is finally restored to a place of authority. In fact, Peter later becomes the first Pope. John tells us, in John 21:24-25, “This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” And to think it all happened after a meal of fish – cooked by Jesus Himself!
My encouragement this evening, on this Palm Sunday, is that we are about to remember the events of Holy Week, the most important week in the Christian calendar. My prayer is that we will all recall the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and realize that Christians throughout the world will be celebrating the resurrection of our Lord and Savior next Sunday. After all, the resurrection is what separates Christians from the other world religions Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace… Oh, and the Friday night fish fries are over until next year!