Open the eyes of our faith.

Easter 3, Year C

Keeping my eyes on the prize requires constant vigilance. In some circumstances keeping the eyes of my faith open and focused is so difficult I cannot do it without God’s help. Life presents so many demands and challenges. It is hard to find the right path and, at times, harder to stay on course. It is so easy to take a wrong turn.

This was the case for the disciples. Paul (formerly known as Saul), Ananias, and Peter all struggled to keep the eyes of their faith open, find the right path, and stay on course. The Bible shows that when the disciples took wrong turns, God met them, opened their eyes, and redirected them. When Saul realized members of his faith were misinterpreting God’s word and will he leapt into action. Saul

...went to the high priest and asked for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women proclaiming Jesus as Israel's Messiah, he had permission to arrest and bring them to Jerusalem. ...as Saul led his crusade to Damascus, a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He asked, "Who are you!?” The reply came, “Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Get up, continue your journey to Damascus, and wait for my direction." The people traveling with Saul were speechless because they heard the voice but did not see anyone. When Saul got up from the ground he could see nothing... For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Saul was on the wrong path and Jesus met him. This is just one of many times in the Bible where God intercepts and redirects people who are engaged in evil deeds.

Jesus asked Ananias to set Saul on the right path.

Jesus spoke to him in a vision, "Ananias." He answered, "Here I am, Lord." The Lord said to him, "Go to the street called Straight, and look for a man of Tarsus named Saul...”

Ananias was devoted to Jesus. He was willing to be Jesus’ heart, hands, feet, and mouth in this world, but he was not willing to help Saul. Saul was an enemy.

Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.”

Ananias was on the right path, but when the path of loving and serving God required him to take the risk of caring for an enemy, he wanted to take another path. How like democratic and republican elected representatives who refuse to work together Ananias was! How like Trump and Harris voters who demonize each other Ananias was! Saul was an enemy. He threatened his belief, life and the safety of those who lived and believed as Ananias did. Ananias wanted to steer clear of Saul, but Jesus redirected him.

Jesus said, “Go...At this moment Saul is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”

Saul was on the wrong path and God met him. Ananias was on the right path and about to take a wrong turn and God met him. Peter took lots of wrong turns. Peter, the rock on which Jesus built the church, continuously struggled to keep his eyes on the prize. When Jesus predicted his crucifixion Peter objected. When Jesus asked to wash Peter’s feet he refused. When Jesus told Peter he could only be a disciple if Jesus washed his feet, Peter begged Jesus to wash his feet and his hands and head. While Jesus was being tried, Peter denied him three times. The eyes of Peter’s faith were often out of focus. He went astray and sometimes led others astray. During a resurrected appearance, Jesus commissioned the disciples to preach the Gospel and gave them authority to loose sins or retain sins. In spite of this, Peter took a wrong turn.

Simon Peter told the disciples, "I am going fishing." They replied, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat, but caught nothing.

This text offers a lesson for us. When the church does not get results from it’s mission, when believers are not getting results from their ministries, it may mean that our good intentions are not aligned with what God needs.

...after daybreak, Jesus appeared on the beach; but the disciples did not recognize him. Jesus asked, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" They answered, "No."

Why didn’t they have fish? Peter and the disciples worked all night to catch fish when God needed them to fish for people. Peter took a wrong turn and the disciples followed him, but Jesus met them. Jesus intervened and put them on the right path.

Jesus said, "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 were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “That man must be Jesus!”

With all those missteps, how did Peter end up being the first in the line of bishops that can be traced to the late Pope Francis and to our own Diocesan Bishop Lawrence? Peter relied on God. Peter counted on God to meet him. Peter expected God to open his eyes. Peter depended upon God to correct and redirect him.

Keeping our eyes on the price requires constant vigilance and a willingness to seek God and follow God’s direction. When the difficulties of life threaten and the challenges of life cause the eyes of our faith to loose focused, God appears. God intervenes and redirects people like Saul who confront God and engage in evil deeds. God intervenes and redirects people like Ananias who are faithful, but afraid to do what God requires. God interveners and redirects head strong people like Peter who confuse their will with God’s will.

When the disciples had finished eating the breakfast Jesus perpared for them, Jesus turned to Simon Peter and said, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" Peter said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time Jesus asked him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter said, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep." A third time Jesus questioned him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was dejected and hurt because Jesus asked a third time, "Do you love me?" So Peter said, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus directed him, "Feed my sheep.

God is me, God is with you, and God is also with our enemies. God meets us, opens our eyes, and directs us every time we take a wrong turn. God meets us, opens the eyes of our faith, and directs us so that we can feed and tend God’s sheep.