It is the Lord
When the disciple whom Jesus loved saw the quantity of fish caught in the net, he said to Peter - John 21: 1-19 ‘It is the Lord!’. On hearing this, Peter put on his garment, because he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.
This is such a wonderful combination of belief and witness. The disciple intuitively believed it was Jesus because of the miracle of the catch and Peter accepted John’s witness and acted boldly without hesitation.
Probably the disciple, who many Bible scholars interpret as John, because of his closer relationship with Jesus, was more attuned to recognize his signs. And Peter trusting his friend’s intuition acted without doubting.
This moment beautifully reveals the dynamic of Christian community—how faith is often stirred, deepened, and affirmed through the trust we place in one another's witness. It is a scene of spiritual companionship, where one disciple sees and names the divine, and the other, trusting in that recognition, leaps toward it.
In our own lives, we, too, are called to be both the seer and the leaper—to recognize Christ in the movements of grace around us and to trust the insights of those walking closely with us on the journey of faith.
Last weekend our prayer group withdrew to our annual retreat and there overlooking the sea we were blessed by the witness of each other. As the waves rolled in and the sky shifted from dawn to dusk, each person shared moments of vulnerability, gratitude, and longing that reflected God’s presence in their lives.
Like the disciple whom Jesus loved, some among us saw clearly the hand of the Lord in everyday moments, and like Peter, others responded with deep emotion and renewed commitment. In the stillness, the silence, and the sharing, we became more attuned to God’s voice—sometimes in the rustling breeze, and often in each other’s stories.
Friend, I encourage you to seek out and become part of a small Bible Circle, where you regularly share with each other the joys and struggles of your faith journey. In such sacred spaces, hearts are opened, Scripture comes alive, and Christ is revealed not only in the Word but in the faces and voices of those who walk with you.
It is in these trusted circles that we learn to recognize the Lord more clearly and respond more faithfully, just as John recognized Him and Peter leapt toward Him. May you find such a community—and may it bless you as deeply as ours has blessed me.