If you want to learn something important about life
pay attention to the actions and attitudes
of someone you respect
who knows life is finite.

So, he went to the beach.
He has some good company.

In today's Gospel
we find the former disciples of Jesus
in just such a place.

It is a special place, and a special time,
although they don't appreciate it just yet.

The place is Lake Galilee,
that wonderful, pristine place in the north,
fed by the springs and snows of Mt. Hermann
the source of freshness and cool, life-giving water
for all of Israel and Palestine.

The time is the week after the death of Jesus.

What an awful thing that was,
but, you know,
as we have learned in lots of ways lately,
nothing in this world is safe
nothing is sure,
even, or perhaps especially,
for the Son of God.

So, here we are,
on the beach at Lake Galilee.

The little band of former disciples
have gone back to work,
as we all must,
but their hearts really are not in it.

Their dreams have been destroyed,
their spirits crushed.

They couldn't think clearly.
There was a big hole
right in the center of each man's chest.

- a feeling as if something, someone
had been torn out of their very core.

They know they have to face life again,
but nothing seems to matter much anymore.

The fish don't even cooperate.
They tended their nets all night there by the shore,
nothing --
nothing.

And, now with the first rays of dawn
before there is really any noticeable light
they see someone on the beach
only 50 or so feet away.

It is a man.
He is tending a cooking fire.

The man sees them and cups his hands around his mouth.
"Fish over there," called the stranger.

Being pretty well out of ideas of their own
they do just that
and filled their nets
with every known kind of fish.

The forlorn former disciples
are now speechless as well as disfunctional;
until John, the disciple Jesus loved best
said, "Look, it is the Lord!"

And impetuous Simon Peter
jumped wildly into the water
and thrashed ashore.

Friends of Harvey
this story is one of grief and desolation
which is turned around by the joy of recognition
of our Lord, Jesus.

As we head back to our work, our homes
our beaches,
We, in the time ahead
will be surprised again and again
at how often and how powerfully
that which is of God
in our loved ones departed
will visit us
break down our loneliness
and heal our pain and desolation.

Peter didn't think much about all that.
He just thrashed ashore out of love
and stood before Jesus.

"Have some breakfast," said the Lord.

The rest of the disciples made it to shore
dragging the over loaded net.

"Bring some of our fish," said Jesus,
We will have a feast together;
and they did.

Jesus was dead,
yet here he was again
in the fellowship of faith
in the love of God for one another.
In the nurturing of his flock at breakfast
they were again connected to their God.

And, with all God's faithful
we rejoice that death is not the end,
rather, God is;

and God will bring Harvey back to us
in a thousand encounters
on a hundred beaches
and our lives will be enriched
our souls fed
our spirits freed from grief and dysfunction.

In those encounters we will know
that the things of God
that are in the people of God
are eternal.

God is to be trusted with Harvey,
and we are called now to trust God with our own lives
to become a people with God in us as well,
that we might help fill the world
with love, hope, joy, and peace;

for, there on the beach, is Jesus.
bringing comfort and hope
for this life, and the next.