W hat he comes to offer us is our lives as bread for others and the mission to follow him, to where we do not know. The emptiness of Peter’s boat was the last experience of emptiness in his life. Jesus continues meeting us where we would rather not be met. Jesus continues calling us to where we might rather not go and that is into the mystery of his love. 

Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

Psalm 30:2+4, 5-6, 11-12a+13b

Revelation 5:11-14

J ohn 21:1-19  After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tibe'ri -as; and he revealed himself in this way. (2) Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathan'a-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zeb'edee, and two others of his disciples were together. (3) Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We will go with you." They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing. (4) Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. (5) Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any fish?" They answered him, "No." (6) He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some." So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, for the quantity of fish. (7) That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his clothes, for he  was stripped for work, and sprang into the sea. (8) But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. (9) When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish lying on it, and bread. (10) Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught." (11) So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and although there were so  many, the net was not torn. (12) Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord. (13) Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. (14) This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

(15) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." (16) A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." (17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the 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. (18) Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (19) (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me."

Meditation by Larry Gillick, S.J. - Deglman Center for Ignatian Spirituality

PREPRAYERING

P roper English usage encourages the placement of prepositions not at the end of sentences. There is a very good reason for this rule. It is that the last word or words in a sentence expresses the proper emphasis of the ideas contained within the statement. As a general rule, the preposition should begin questions; “with whom are you going” is stronger than hanging the “with” at the end and having two different subjects for one verb.

The literal meaning of pre-position is a placing before. If the preposition is at the end, well, it is a simple contradiction. Enough of English already! It is just a peeve of mine, not a pet one of course!

The Resurrection is the most emphatic element in the long sentence of God’s loving history with all humankind. There had been many prepositions used within that sacred history. “Before” the world was made and “after” the Fall were important words indicating time. “Upon” is an indication of where, mountains of revelation and the body of the woman who gave the Word a sacred position.

We are praying and living with the position the resurrected Jesus has taken within our lives. His placement in history gives us the position of emphasis in this world. His Holy Spirit is within and with us urging us to take positions of revelation within our families, communities and our world. We pray these days with the growing sense of His final statement that our lives are a continuation of the long sacred sentence of God’s love.

REFLECTION

In verses which come before our First Reading, Peter and his companions in crime are locked up for having preached in the Temple. During the night, while under guard, an angel appears and sends them out, back into the Temple . When the officers go to fetch them from prison, not only do they not find them there, but news arrives of their being back at their dirty work of preaching in the name of Jesus, and in the Temple again. Their having been called and then called out of prison is getting them in more trouble.

What we hear in our First Reading are the jealous leaders of the religious establishment confronting Peter and the others with their being disobedient to previous orders to be silent.

After reviewing how Jesus had been silenced  by his being hanged at the hands of these very leaders, Peter and the other apostles leave in high spirits, because they had been proven worthy by being treated in the same way as Jesus, except not physically - not yet.

There are some quite touching scenes in today’s Gospel. The first is that of Peter and his companions who decide to return to the life from which Jesus had called them . . . fishing. Jesus, who had told them at his washing of their feet that apart from him they could do nothing, do nothing for their all night fishing. When it was already dawn the great Fisherman appears and catches them according to what catches fisherman, a great catch of fish.

So here again we have the favorite theme of John, bad things happen at night and Jesus as light does great things during the daylight. They come to the realization that it is the Lord and the catch becomes secondary, at least for a while.

The second scene is a reunion at the breakfast table. Peter who had warmed himself by a charcoal fire while betraying Jesus, is invited to bring some of his catch to be cooked on the charcoal fire where Jesus was already cooking fish and bread. This is a socially awkward situation, but Jesus breaks the tension by distributing the bread and fish to them. Earlier in their relationship, Jesus had taken loaves and fish to distribute to them and many others. This scene ends with that symbolic gesture of reconciliation. They know who he is in the sharing of the bread.

The final scene focuses on the recommitment of Peter and the missioning of Peter by Jesus. Peter is invited to follow Jesus once more and this time for keeps. This scene ends with Peter’s following Jesus to a life which will imitate that of Jesus even to the manner of his death.

When going to visit the doctor I make sure I am wearing squeaky-clean underwear. When going to the dentist I make sure I have flossed and really scrubbed my molars. When found, we want to be found at our best. Jesus had the delightful and delighting habit of meeting people where they would rather not be met at all. A fisher-person does not want anybody to ask about how many fish have been caught if their stringer is empty. Jesus meets his beloved disciples quite fishless and quite sinful.

After the Resurrection, Jesus went about collecting his beloved women and men friends and usually in the socially and spiritually awkward settings. He continues doing the same thing in our lives. He does not check the under garments, but the inner. He does not check the molars for cavities, but asks what we are doing with our emptiness. He emptied himself by living his whole life even to his last. He emptied his tomb to fill our empty boats and lives with his Eucharistic presences.

What he comes to offer us is our lives as bread for others and the mission to follow him, to where we do not know. The emptiness of Peter’s boat was the last experience of emptiness in his life. Jesus continues meeting us where we would rather not be met. Jesus continues calling us to where we might rather not go and that is into the mystery of his love.     

“Away grief’s grasping joyless days, dejection.”  G. M. Hopkins, S.J.

Supplementary Reading

This is the Day

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it --- Psalm 118:24

I t's easy to come up with excuses to delay our happiness. All the time I hear things like, "As soon as I get out of this problem, Joel, I'll be happy." "As soon as I lose ten pounds...as soon as my business grows…as soon as my child straightens up…" No, if you don't put your foot down and decide to be happy right now, there will always be something to keep you from being happy. Let's get rid of the excuses and make the decision to enjoy life right now, today.

God never intended for us to put off our happiness. That's why David said, "This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." He was saying, "This is the day to be happy; not tomorrow, not when the weather clears up. Not next week, when I don't have to work so hard. Not next month, when I make it through this difficult time." No, choose to honor the Lord right now by choosing to enjoy your life because this is the day that the Lord has made!

Father God, thank You for this day. Thank You for another opportunity to sing Your praise. I choose to set my mind and heart on You, I choose to rejoice and be glad so that everything I do brings honor to You. In Jesus' Name. Amen. ---Joel & Victora Osteen