2025-05-03 - COPING WITH THE FAILURE OF LIFE. A reflection for the 3rd Sunday of Easter Year C Author: Fr. Nicholas Okafor
Today’s Gospel takes us to the Sea of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee, where Peter and his companions went fishing after their hope was dashed - “But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” Lk 24:21. They were going back to their old profession, forgetting the promise that was made to them by Jesus who called them while they were finishing at that same Sea “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” Matt 4:19. That which made them to “Immediately left their nets and followed him” has been crushed by the events of Good Friday. Here, hope faces hopelessness and despair; and hopelessness has influenced their decision. When hope is lost, life becomes so difficult and weary to live.
However, as professional fishermen, they had done their best to fish all night but caught nothing. All their effort and time had been for nothing. There was no evidence of their commitment and effort. Thus, they were tired and discouraged as they washed their nets to go home in great disappointment. Life can be terrible sometimes. It is possible to do one’s best to achieve a goal, yet, in the end, there is nothing to show for it. At this moment of despair and great disappointment, Jesus – hope personified, stood in their midst with an eye that reads the heart of his flocks and uttered a pastoral voice, “Have you caught anything, friends?” And they answered, “No.” Now, hopelessness faces hope itself. When hopelessness is transformed into hope, success and a happy life follow.
However, Jesus would have blamed Peter and the other apostles for leaving their vocation as fishers of men in pursuit of an old way of life, but he decided not to. When we fail, after doing our best, the last thing we need is blame. To fail is painful enough without one rubbing salt into the wound in the name of blame. It’s very disappointing if one’s best isn’t good enough and when one’s sincere effort produces nothing. Some of us might have experienced failure in one way or another. Honestly, failure breeds despair. In times of failure, we need not someone to blame us but someone who will believe in us, encourage us, challenge us, and give us another chance to grow out of our failure. Failure is not falling down but staying down. To stay down when we fall is to accept defeat and not give ourselves more chances to improve.
Jesus, the one who says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; cut off from me, you can do nothing,” chose not to be judgmental but pastoral. He encouraged Peter and his companions to “Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch” Lk 5:4. I respect Peter and his companions’ courage, humility, and resilience for accepting the challenge in good faith. They did not show off their professional and technical Know-how to a man who seems not to be a professional fisherman. They simply went ahead and did what Jesus told them to do. In the end, “they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear.”
Two things are important in moments of despair and disappointment: being able to see someone who will challenge us to rise, a person who would say, “Throw the net out to starboard, and you’ll find something.” Someone who would see our strengths amid our weaknesses, one who will still trust and have confidence in us even when life has dealt with us. Another thing is having the disposition to accept the advice given to us like Peter and his companions did. We need the grace of God for these.
When failure comes our way, when life has dealt with us, and all hope seems lost, how do we handle it? Do we stay down or rise? Do we give ourselves another chance to improve and move ahead? Do we totally lose confidence in ourselves? As Emerson will say, “Each of us has a greater possibility. Each of us has a chamber or a closet that has never been opened.” Sometimes, this greater possibility can only be opened during the low moments of our lives and when we are challenged. As people of God, let’s emulate Peter and his companions’ humility, resilience, and courage. As leaders in our various families and places of work, let us emulate the pastoral sensitivity, creativity, and ingenuity of Jesus in accompanying people in our midst who face the challenges of life.
Today’s Gospel takes us to the Sea of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee, where Peter and his companions went fishing after their hope was dashed - “But we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” Lk 24:21. They were going back to their old profession, forgetting the promise that was made to them by Jesus who called me while they were finishing at that same Sea “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” John 15:15. That which made them to “Immediately left their nets and followed him” has been crushed by the events of Good Friday. Here, hope faces hopelessness and despair; and hopelessness has influenced their decision. When hope is lost, life becomes so difficult and weary to live.
However, as professional fishermen, they had done their best to fish all night but caught nothing. All their effort and time had been for nothing. There was no evidence of their commitment and effort. Thus, they were tired and discouraged as they washed their nets to go home in great disappointment. Life can be terrible sometimes. It is possible to do one’s best to achieve a goal, yet, in the end, there is nothing to show for it. At this moment of despair and great disappointment, Jesus – hope personified, stood in their midst with an eye that reads the heart of his flocks and uttered a pastoral voice, “Have you caught anything, friends?” And they answered, “No.” Now, hopelessness faces hope itself. When hopelessness is transformed into hope, success and a happy life follow.
However, Jesus would have blamed Peter and the other apostles for leaving their vocation as fishers of men in pursuit of an old way of life, but he decided not to. When we fail, after doing our best, the last thing we need is blame. To fail is painful enough without one rubbing salt into the wound in the name of blame. It’s very disappointing if one’s best isn’t good enough and when one’s sincere effort produces nothing. Some of us might have experienced failure in one way or another. Honestly, failure breeds despair. In times of failure, we need not someone to blame us but someone who will believe in us, encourage us, challenge us, and give us another chance to grow out of our failure. Failure is not falling down but staying down. To stay down when we fall is to accept defeat and not give ourselves more chances to improve.
Jesus, the one who says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; cut off from me, you can do nothing,” chose not to be judgmental but pastoral. He encouraged Peter and his companions to “Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch” Lk 5:4. I respect Peter and his companions’ courage, humility, and resilience for accepting the challenge in good faith. They did not show off their professional and technical Know-how to a man who seems not to be a professional fisherman. They simply went ahead and did what Jesus told them to do. In the end, “they netted such a huge number of fish that their nets began to tear.”
Two things are important in moments of despair and disappointment: being able to see someone who will challenge us to rise, a person who would say, “Throw the net out to starboard, and you’ll find something.” Someone who would see our strengths amid our weaknesses, one who will still trust and have confidence in us even when life has dealt with us. Another thing is having the disposition to accept the advice given to us like Peter and his companions did. We need the grace of God for these.
When failure comes our way, when life has dealt with us, and all hope seems lost, how do we handle it? Do we stay down or rise? Do we give ourselves another chance to improve and move ahead? Do we totally lose confidence in ourselves? As Emerson will say, “Each of us has a greater possibility. Each of us has a chamber or a closet that has never been opened.” Sometimes, this greater possibility can only be opened during the low moments of our lives and when we are challenged. As people of God, let’s emulate Peter and his companions’ humility, resilience, and courage. As leaders in our various families and places of work, let us emulate the pastoral sensitivity, creativity, and ingenuity of Jesus in accompanying people in our midst who face the challenges of life.
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