The Gospel narrative today is about how the apostles recognized the Risen Lord by the miraculous catch of fish, performed through their hands at the command of Jesus. The Risen Lord gave them instructions from the shore.
Perhaps they recalled that other time, when Christ had not yet died, and Christ told the tired Peter to try catching again after a fruitless night. At that time, Peter was hesitant, but he did what he was told, and they made such a haul of fish that the nets began to break. This time, they made an even bigger haul, “through there were so many, the net was not torn” (John 21:11).
Considering that Christ referred to Peter as a “fisher of men,” we can see this incident as a kind of symbol of the apostolate.
Just as all Christians are called to be saints, they are also called to be apostles. The apostleship is an activity incumbent upon all the followers of Christ, and not only on those who are consecrated to God for that task, such as priests and religious figures.
The apostolate of the ordinary Christian consists of bringing those people around him close to God, and thereby ensuring their eternal salvation and happiness.
“Charity begins at home.” And the first object of the apostolate should be those persons whom God has brought close to us by the natural bonds of family, society and profession. At the same time, it should extend out to all men.
Just like the apostles, the effectiveness of the apostolate depends on obedience and fidelity to the instructions of Christ. The apostles obeyed the word of Christ, and so the miraculous haul of fish took place.
If we want to do an effective apostolate, we must be faithful to the substance and methods established by Christ. Otherwise, after tiring ourselves out in a hundred activities, we shall find our hands empty.
In the reading today, the nets did not break. Christ Himself has the power to forgive sins. But the bishops and the priests, who are the successors of the apostles in this sphere, do not arrogate it. It was freely given by Christ. Yes to a human being, but through the divine power.
If Jesus Christ used clay and saliva to manifest His divine power and give sight to the blind through the application of simple mud, why can he not make use of human beings to exercise His power to forgive sins? When the priest absolves us of our sins in confession, he does not do it in his name or by his own authority, but in the name, authority and in the person of Jesus Christ Himself.