Tabgha- Church of the Primacy of St. Peter

Nearby in Tabgha is the gray stone structure

 known as the 

Church of the Primacy of St Peter.

A Franciscan chapel with a few benches

 facing the front,

 and simple stained glass windows.

The sign on the bare rock beneath the altar reads

 "Mensa Christi"

which means " Table of Christ".

 The bare rock under the altar extends

 underneath and outside the chapel wall.

                                                  
                               
                                 This was a spot that Peter 

and the fisherman knew well-

 here at the Seven Springs.

It is here that Jesus appeared to them

 after His resurrection and told them to

 "throw your net on the right side of the boat

 and you will find some." John 21:6

Peter recognizes Jesus and swims to him.

 As the other disciples reach shore 

with their miraculous catch,

 they see a charcoal fire already laid with fish cooking. 

In a stunning setting that recalled the charcoal fire

 when Peter denied knowing Jesus

 at Caiaphas's courtyard,  (John 18:18,21:9)

 Jesus invites them to "Come and have breakfast." (John 21:12) 

Peter and Jesus take a walk.

In this conversation Jesus tells Peter-

 "Feed My lambs... Shepherd My sheep...

 Tend My sheep"

John 21:15-17

As they return to this site,

 here is where Peter hears the grace reinstatement

 that reminds Peter of God's forgiveness

 rather than a flashback of Peter's failures.

As Peter was reminded, so are we,

 that our relationship with Jesus expresses

 itself by serving others,

 without comparing ourselves with them.

The motivation for such devotion to Jesus?

Jesus always responds in grace,

 and this time with a question.

"Do you truly love Me?"

Tour Leader Tom Krause reads the Scripture

 that ties the landscape with the Biblical story.

John in the Sea of Galilee- 

walking the shore.
Thinking perhaps of Peter here with Jesus.
 The call that still resounds-
Feed my sheep.
 The costly-- Follow Me.
And the daily reinstatement-
wrapped in grace.