(The Sea of Galilee, on a fishing boat. Peter; James; John; Andrew; Thomas; and John’s son, Aaron, are casting nets.)
AARON: When will He come, father?
THOMAS: He’ll come when we’re ready, Aaron, trust me!
(All chuckle.)
AARON: I’m ready.
PETER: But maybe we’re not, like when I tried to walk on this water.78
ANDREW: I wonder why He said He’d meet us here—in Galilee?
JAMES: Maybe because it’s where we all started.
PETER: Where He called us.
AARON: What do you mean?
PETER: We were right over there, to the west, and He told us to cast in our nets.
JAMES: But on the right side of the boat.
PETER: Yes.
JOHN: And it was on a night just like this. Not a single fish.
PETER: And suddenly there were so many . . . so many . . . .
JOHN: So many our nets broke, son.79
PETER: We weren’t ready, Aaron —our nets weren’t strong enough. So we couldn’t bring in the fish and take them back to feed the people.
JOHN: And that’s when He called us to be fishers of men.80
AARON: Of men? So why are we fishing for fish?
THOMAS: Especially when there aren’t any!
[Music cue: “Did Not Our Hearts Burn—Reprise” underscore 
, 
]
THOMAS (to the others on the boat): Is that man talking to us?
PETER (calling to shore): No, not today!82
SAVIOR (voice-over): Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find!83
(One by one they quickly stand and look in amazement.)
AARON: What is he saying?
THOMAS: He doesn’t know we’ve been fishing all night.
JOHN (realizing): Yes, He does.
PETER (also realizing): Do it!
AARON: Why would there be fish now?
THOMAS: I don’t see any.
JAMES: Shh. Peter, what is it?
PETER: He’s here. He’s here with us.
JOHN: It is the Lord.
THOMAS: You can tell from here?
PETER: Yes.
(Peter jumps off the boat and crosses downstage. Back on the boat:)
JAMES: It’s a draught, again!
JOHN: As many as before! Maybe more!
THOMAS: Pull!
JAMES: Careful, the nets!
JOHN: They’re holding, James. This time the nets are holding!
THOMAS: Pull! Pull!
(They pull in a large net of fish. On shore, Peter steps into a pool of light and discovers a small fire with fish cooking on a spit.)
PETER: Is this a meal for us, Lord?
SAVIOR (voice-over): Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.84
JOHN (from the boat): Peter, come!
JAMES: Peter, we must have caught over a hundred fish. And the nets didn’t tear!
THOMAS: At least a hundred and fifty, and big ones.85
AARON: It’s Jesus, isn’t it, father?
JOHN: Yes, son, it is Jesus.
SAVIOR (voice-over): Come and dine.86
(Aaron exits as the men on the boat make their way downstage.)
JAMES: A meal!
JOHN: This for us, Lord?
PETER: Food was never so welcome.
JOHN: We thank Thee, Lord.
(The Apostles gather around the fire and eat.)
PETER (turning downstage, into the light): Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
SAVIOR (voice-over): Feed my lambs.
(Music ends. Peter begins to turn back to the Apostles.)
SAVIOR (voice-over): Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
PETER (turning toward the light): Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
(Peter turns to the Apostles again.)
SAVIOR (voice-over): Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
(Silence. Peter faces the light squarely. The other Apostles rise.)
PETER: Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.
SAVIOR (voice-over): Feed my sheep.87
(Peter stands, resolute. As he does, the other Apostles kneel behind him, recognizing the charge given him.)
[Music cue: “Feed Thy Sheep” , ]+
PETER (with understanding and resolve): James, John, let us divide what we have been given with others. We will feed Thy sheep, Lord, withersoever thou wilt.
(All Apostles rise.)
As we’re fed, we’ll feed them.
JAMES
As we learn, we’ll teach.
(The rest of the Apostles enter.)
THOMAS
As we’re blessed, we’ll lift each other.
JOHN, JAMES, and THOMAS
We will feed Thy sheep.
ALL APOSTLES
Feed Thy lambs, O feed Thy sheep!
Shepherds we’ll become.
Help us find the wandering lambs,
Make Thy flock as one.
(The music continues as the Apostles kneel. The light before them becomes intense, again representing the Savior.)
PETER: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
(Immediate seque to next scene segment.)
+ Because these two pieces are performed without a break, the audio file contains both of them.
NOTES
78. See Matthew 14:22–33.
79. See Luke 5:1–11.
80. See Matthew 4:19.
81. John 21:5.
82. See John 21:5.
83. John 21:6.
84. John 21:10.
85. See John 21:11.
86. John 21:12.
87. John 21:15–17.
88. Acts. 1:6–8.
89. Mark 16:15.
90. Matt. 28:20.
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