Sunday May 1, 2022

Third Sunday Of Easter 

Encountering the Risen Lord

Perhaps we envy the apostles for having seen and experienced Jesus after he had risen from the dead. There is no reason to be envious of them: If we have faith, we too experience him as risen, alive, present, and sharing our life. If we have faith we know he is there when we suffer mishaps and failures or when we rejoice. If we have faith, we know Jesus is there when we strengthen and encourage one another. If we have faith, we know Jesus is with us when we share a meal of friendship, and, especially and deeply, when we eat together from the table of the Eucharist. Lift up your heads and be happy: the risen Lord is with us in life.

 

First Reading: Acts 5:27b-32,40b-41

The Chief Priest said, “Didn’t we give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus’ name? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man.”

Peter and the apostles answered, “It’s necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail.”

They called the apostles back in. After giving them a thorough whipping, they warned them not to speak in Jesus’ name and sent them off. The apostles went out of the High Council overjoyed because they had been given the honor of being dishonored on account of the Name. Every day they were in the Temple and homes, teaching and preaching Christ Jesus, not letting up for a minute.

 

Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14

I looked again. I heard a company of Angels around the Throne, the Animals, and the Elders—ten thousand times ten thousand their number, thousand after thousand after thousand in full song:

The slain Lamb is worthy!
Take the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength!
Take the honor, the glory, the blessing!

Then I heard every creature in Heaven and earth, in underworld and sea, join in, all voices in all places, singing:

To the One on the Throne! To the Lamb!
The blessing, the honor, the glory, the strength,
For age after age after age.

The Four Animals called out, “Oh, Yes!” The Elders fell to their knees and worshiped.

 

Gospel: John 21:1-19

After this, Jesus appeared again to the disciples, this time at the Tiberias Sea (the Sea of Galilee). This is how he did it: Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed “Twin”), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the brothers Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter announced, “I’m going fishing.”

The rest of them replied, “We’re going with you.” They went out and got in the boat. They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the beach, but they didn’t recognize him.

Jesus spoke to them: “Good morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?”

They answered, “No.”

He said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what happens.”

They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it, they weren’t strong enough to pull it in.

Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Master!”

When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea. The other disciples came in by boat for they weren’t far from land, a hundred yards or so, pulling along the net full of fish. When they got out of the boat, they saw a fire laid, with fish and bread cooking on it.

Jesus said, “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught.” Simon Peter joined them and pulled the net to shore—153 big fish! And even with all those fish, the net didn’t rip.

Jesus said, “Breakfast is ready.” Not one of the disciples dared ask, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Master.

Jesus then took the bread and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus had shown himself alive to the disciples since being raised from the dead.

After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”

Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”

Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, “Follow me.”

 

Prayer
God our Father,
how different and how much richer our life would be
if we were more aware of the presence
of your risen Son Jesus among us.
Give us enough love and faith to see him
inspiring and guiding our community
on the road of compassion and justice.
Make us feel his presence
when we are toiling and struggling as if in vain.
Make us recognize him as a guest
in our homes and at our family meals.
Make us fully aware that he is among us
when we meet for prayer and the Eucharist.
For then we will be strong and joyful
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

 

Reflection:
Tune in for the guidance of the Lord
What is the mission entrusted to Christ’s disciples and how do they carry it out in their everyday life situations? Today’s passage answers these questions through an episode full of symbolism. It speaks of seven disciples on a boat go fishing. Number seven indicates perfection and completeness. Peter and the other six represent entire Christian community, that consist of the various types of Christians –doubters, fanatics, those who deny the Master, traditionalists, and even anonymous Christians.
The sea is the symbol of all the forces that are the enemies of man. If submerged in water one would be left to the mercy of evil. Therefore, fishing means to pull oneself out of this condition of ‘absence of life’ and to liberate from the forces of evil and death. Think of all those forces in the world that prevent us from living joyfully and prevent us from smiling: the lust for money, grudges, uncontrolled passions, drugs, pornography, anxiety, hate, remorse, fear….
John recalls his own story in the company Peter and others and share the story with his community. His purpose is to explain to his community, the Church’s mission to liberate the people of God from the depths of the sea of evil forces.
They work all night, but caught nothing, says the Gospel. They strive to the utmost in the mission entrusted to them, but with no results. Because, they still did not have the light of Jesus. The Master had taught them: “Without me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
They are perhaps feeling abandoned and frustrated amid dangers and difficulties. They try to carry out their mission as ‘fishers of people,’ relying solely on their abilities and skills. But at the dawn of the new day, they listen again to the voice of the Master. The Master has not left them alone! He comes to them, and guides them in their activity. “Cast the net over the right side of the boat…”
As soon as they trust him, the miracle happens: against all human logic, against all reasonable expectations, they obtain an amazing result. John wants the Christians of his communities to believe that Jesus, while standing on the ‘shore,’ that is, in the glory of the Father, is always beside them every day and continues to make his voice resound, indicating what they must do.
We will succeed in the mission of Church, provided we let ourselves be guided by the voice of the Risen Lord. The seven disciples on the Lake of Galilee, that is the Church is asked to present the fish, the fruit of its Mission. On the other hand, the bread is always offered freely by Jesus; It is the Eucharist; it is the bread that the Risen One breaks.

 

Video available on Youtube: Tune in for the guidance of the Lord