Scripture Reflection – 3rd Sunday of Easter – 10th April 2016

April 10, 2016 – Third Sunday of Easter – Lectionary: 48

 

Reading 1 – Acts 5: 27-32, 40B-41

When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders, did we not,
to stop teaching in that name?
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus,
though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior
to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things,
as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles
to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

 

Responsorial Psalm  – Psalm 30: 2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13

 

  1. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me – Alleluia.

I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.

  1. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me – Alleluia.

Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.

  1. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me – Alleluia.

Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.

  1. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me – Alleluia.

Reading 2 – Revelations 5: 11-14

I, John, looked and heard the voices of many angels
who surrounded the throne
and the living creatures and the elders.
They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain
to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and blessing.”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth
and under the earth and in the sea,
everything in the universe, cry out:
“To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor, glory and might,
forever and ever.”
The four living creatures answered, “Amen,”
and the elders fell down and worshiped.

 

Gospel – John 21:1-19

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time,
“Do you love me?” and he said to him,
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Listen to the Scriptures:  Click on the link below:

http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/16_04_10.mp3

3rd Sunday of Easter – C

 

Theme:  Our call as Christians is to recognize Jesus Christ as the Lamb who was slain and as the Risen Saviour.  We are to respond to him not by competing with his other followers but by cooperating with them.

 

Point 1: Peter and John could have been “bitter” rivals.  Peter was the acknowledged leader of Christ’s band of followers, but Peter was also foolhardy, overconfident, reckless and boastful.  John was the beloved disciple, most likely the youngest of all the Lord’s apostles and the only one of them who stood by the Lord until his death.  Peter could easily have resented John’s special place in the Lord’s love, and despised his youthfulness.  John could have viewed Peter as an unworthy leader tarnished by his three-fold denial and his seemingly endless boastings.

 

And yet instead of being rivals, they are often linked together.  In today’s Gospel it is John who recognizes the Lord.  His response is to share the good news with Peter.  Peter then recognizes Jesus.  His response is to leap into the water to reach the Lord.

 

John’s response is the proclamation.  “It is the Lord.”  Peter’s response is instant action as his whole being – body, soul and spirit – seeks the Lord.

 

Both responses are needed.  Each complements the other and makes sanctification and evangelization more easily attained.  Peter’s leadership would have been less effective without John’s support and the clarity of his vision and words.  John’s youthful love for Jesus needed the guidance of an old and more experienced man.

 

Point 2: Peter had a special need for the Lord, and this may have caused him to race across the water.  Deep in Peter there was the burden of guilt because he had denied his Lord not once but three times.  His sins have been washed away as he wept bitterly over them, but he knew there was more that had to be done and Jesus would do it.  Peter was right but he could never have imagined how tenderly Jesus would remove the haunting memories of a love betrayed.

 

The Lord is attentive to every detail as he sets the scene carefully so that Peter’s bitter memories will be healed.

 

Together they share a meal as they had done the night before Calvary – the night of Peter’s denials.  When they have eaten, the Lord asks Peter three times to declare his love.  Twice Peter responds: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”  A third time, he responds with hurt feelings but even more emphasis: “Lord, you know everything.  You know well that I love you.”

 

Peter is cleansed of the guilt of his threefold denial, and healed of the haunting memories of his unfaithfulness.  He is free now to accept the prophecy of his death.  He is freed to respond more deeply and fully than ever before to the Lord’s command “Follow me.”  Like Jesus the Lamb who was slain, Peter will die for his flock.

 

Conclusion:  We Christians need to hunger for sanctity as Peter and John did.  No matter which of them we resemble, we need the Lord.  If wounded, we need his healing love.  If faithful, we need his sanctifying Spirit to teach us to rejoice in all things.  We must be freed to recognize and proclaim that Jesus Christ is the Lamb that was slain and is the Risen Saviour.  We must respond in our newfound freedom by joining all creation in praising our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.

QUESTIONS THAT MAY LEAD TO OTHER THOUGHTS / REFLECTION / SHARING

  1. When we serve Jesus in various activities, are we ever motivated by pride? Do we at times compete with others rather than cooperate in religious activities or ministries?
  1. If we are young like John, do we respect the elderly like Peter?
  1. Can we respond like Peter: “Lord, you know very well that I love you?”
  1. Have we ever been courageous and bold like the disciples in the first reading? Describes a time or two where you were bold and courageous for the Lord.  Or describe a time when you had the opportunity to be bold and courageous, but failed to do so.

We all of us tend at every moment to put ourselves in the place of God by setting ourselves in the center of the universe.  The new-born infant comes into the world as the center of his own universe, all his education will consist in learning that he is not the center of things.  Yet every time we mention Original Sin we ought also to mention Original Righteousness: that is the other side of the paradox.  The vestiges of the divine image remain in us; we know that we are self-centered and we know that self-centeredness is wrong.  No man-made technique of psychology or pedagogy can completely adjust us to society; our deepest need is for community, for reconciliation, for right relationships with our fellow men and with God.  We need a salvation which no human technique can bring.

  • Alan Richardson, Listen to Love (Regina Press)

In the strength of his truth and in the power of divine life. God does not ask of a person anything that is false or beyond his power.  Rather, God invites what is most human in every person to become aware of itself.

Many persons, taught to be satisfied with narrow and confining joys, seems to be locked within little rooms of love.  “Humanity has been sleeping – and still sleeps.”

Deep within mankind, still asleep, lies an immense power and truth, which will awake only when persons have learned to break out of attitudes that are narrow and self-centered.

When individuals come to recognize the reality called “mankind”, human life will present a new horizon of possibilities.  And persons will learn to feel at home with the far-reaching realities of the universe.

  • Louis M. Savary, Listen to Love (Regina Press)

The mystery of the resurrection is central to our faith.  If Christ is not risen, then our faith collapses.  Nothing remains.  The Gospel should be read from the viewpoint of the resurrection because that is the way it is written.  Every episode of the Gospel is imbued with the light of the resurrection.  When we take the resurrection out, there is nothing left to the Gospel, just as when we take the head from the body the rest becomes a corpse.  When we leave out the resurrection, we cannot use anything from the Gospel, because the core of the Gospel is the resurrection.  This is what gives life and perspective to the Good News we believe and teach.  There is a remarkable phrase found in the Acts of the Apostles.  The disciples have gathered to choose someone to replace Judas who killed himself.  Peter calls the disciples together and explains in these words the task at hand:

We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was traveling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptizing until the day when the Master was taken up from us – and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection.  (Acts 1: 21-22)

This is the definition of an apostle: a witness to the resurrection.  When we do not witness to the resurrection whatever our labor and our service, we are not apostles.  On the other hand, when we radiate the joy and faith of the risen Lord we are real apostles, whatever we do.  The heart of the apostolate is the witness to the resurrection.  All the rest is secondary.

  • Peter G. van Breemen, As Bread That is Broken (Dimension Books)

Not only does He have the appearance of one raised from the dead, but he lives a life entirely different from the first life.  This is to teach us that everything needs to be renewed in our lives, our thoughts, desires, words and actions.  Not only does he live a new life, but he showed it to his disciples.  This is to teach us also to become new people.  Lastly, clothed with immortality, he showed us that we must no longer die to grace by sin.

  • Fr. Basil Anthony Mary Moreau, CSC (Founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross), Christian Meditations

Third Sunday of Easter C – Prayer of the faithfull

For the Church: that we may convincingly bear witness, in union with the Holy Spirit, to the freeing and healing power of the Risen Christ, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For a new perspective on life: that God will broaden our vision to help us recognize how we can participate with all of creation as it seeks to serve and worship God, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For Pope Benedict: that God will strengthen and inspire him to lead the church in seeking the reign of God, deeper understanding of the truth, and greater unity as God’s people, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all who exercise ministry in the Church: that they may be rooted in love, service and commitment to Christ as they assist us in following Jesus more closely, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all dioceses who are awaiting new bishops: that God will guide and inspire the selection process and bring forth leaders who love Jesus and who will feed Christ’s flock with wisdom and love, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all gathered this day: that we may recognize Jesus in this Eucharist and find nourishment for the hungers of our hearts and souls, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all who will be receiving First Communion soon: that they may grow in their faith and their awareness of God’s love for them, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For our families: that mealtimes spent together may be times of nourishment, healing, reconciliation and affirmation of one another, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For a spirit of openness and acceptance: that we may welcome the stranger and immigrant into our communities, and help them to build a new life, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For the members of our Parliament and District Assemblies: that God will guide their work and inspire their decision making in these difficult financial times, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all who earn their living on the seas: that God will protect them from harm and increase the quality and quantity of fish for the good of all humanity, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all who are unemployed: that God will lead them to new people and places so that they may find work to support their families and to better the human community, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For peace in our cities, villages and communities: that God will guide all leaders to resolve conflicts honestly and respectfully so that all may live in peace, let us pray to the Lord.

 

For all who are recovering from natural disasters, from earthquakes, floods, mudslides, and tornadoes: that God will give them courage, bring the assistance which they need and sustain them through the love and compassion of others, let us pray to the Lord.

 

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