RBWords

     One of my favorite memories of my dear deceased sister, Ann, who died of cancer in 2003, concerns any occasion where family story-telling would occur.  She was not one to let facts get in the way of the story and when I or another family member had the courage to correct a detail or two, she would exclaim:  "Let me tell it MY way!"  [I'm reminded of the old song, "Ah yes!  I remember it well....."]  Something of this seems to be at work throughout the Bible, and today the story of how Jesus met Peter gives us an example.  [Try trading memories with a close friend on how you first met!]

 

     Imagine, if you will, a meeting of the four evangelists [I know, I know, the gospels are more the work of a community in each case, but let me tell it my way!].  Two of them will tell the story of Jesus' first meeting with Peter in almost the exact same way and very briefly - Mark and Matthew.  Luke might say, "You're leaving out too much.  This is too good a story to condense to 'leave those boats and follow me. I'll make you fishers of people.'  I think Peter and the big catch is too good to leave out.  Don't you remember that?"    John scratches his head and says, "My recollection is that my brother Andrew saw Jesus at a gathering when John the Baptist pointed to Jesus.  Andrew followed Jesus, talked to him and then went and got Peter and brought him to Jesus.  I don't know anything about a fishing story!"

 

     Does it matter how Peter met Jesus?  It matters to a good story-teller because the account is part of the bigger story of the whole gospel.  We can let each evangelist tell the story HIS way and find the truth engaging in all the four accounts!  I rather like the drama of Luke's account, today, but I also like the person-to-person account in John!  But, then, I do like story-telling!  AMEN