Daily
Thoughts:
“A Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a
joy born of having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person:
Jesus, in our midst; it is born from knowing that with him we alone, even at
difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and
obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! And in this
moment, the enemy, the devil, comes, often disguised as an angel, and slyly
speaks his word to us. Do not listen to him! Let us follow Jesus!” (Pope
Francis)
In our
First Reading today we encounter the jealous religious leaders of confronting
Peter and the others with their being disobedient to the previous orders to be
silent.
After
reviewing how Jesus had been silenced by being hanged on a cross at the hands
of these very leaders, Peter and the others leave in high spirits, because they
have been proven worthy by being treated in almost the same way as Jesus. In
other words, they know they are on the right path.
The
Gospel today provides us with a touching scene.
Peter and his companions decide to return to the life from which Jesus
had called them, fishing. Now Jesus, who
had told them at his washing of their feet that apart from him they could do
nothing, so it is nothing that they do. They fish all night and catch nothing.
Dawn comes and the Great Fisherman appears and with Jesus they catch a boat
load of fish.
In this
Resurrection encounter we have one of John’s favorite themes, 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.
As the
scene continues we encounter their reunion with Jesus at the breakfast. Peter who warmed himself by a charcoal fire
while betraying Jesus, is now invited to bring some of his catch to be cooked
on the charcoal fire where Jesus was already cooking fish and bread. The scene is thick with tension as Peter and
the others are not sure how to act or what to say. 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.
Finally,
our Gospel scene focuses in on the recommitment of Peter and his missioning by
Jesus. Peter is invited to follow Jesus
once more and this time for keeps. Our
scene ends with Peter's following Jesus to a life which will imitate that of
Jesus even to the manner of his death.
Jesus had
a challenging habit of meeting people where they would rather not be met. A person who has been fishing does not want
anybody to ask, “How many fish?” When none have been caught, when the nets or the
stringer is empty. Jesus meets his friends
today quite fishless and quite sinful.
After the
Resurrection, Jesus went about connecting with his friends, both women and men,
in the social and spiritually awkward settings.
He continues doing the same thing in our lives. He does what is going on outside but what is
going on inside. He does not check what
we have but where our lives are empty. He emptied himself by living his whole
life even to his last breath. He emptied
his tomb to fill our emptiness through the gift of his Eucharistic presences.
Have a
great Sunday everyone!
Daily
Prayer:
Loving God, our hearts are before us. We try but by ourselves we can do
nothing. Grace us with your presence and help us to do what we cannot. Admit us
to the inner room of your love. We ask, we seek, we knock. You have given us
the command to ask, help us to receive. You have challenged us to seek, enable
us to find. You have taught us how to knock, please open the door. Amen.
(Adapted from a prayer by St. Anselm of Canterbury)
A
Runner’s Thoughts: Simply imagine that God is with you constantly on a run.
It matters little how you conceive God. Take whatever conception of God you
have, and allow that image of God to accompany you on the trial. (Adapted from - Running The Spiritual Path
by Roger Joslin)
Daily
Blessing: Sunday afternoon greetings and blessings to all! I am sorry that I am
a bit late with my postings today but it was a busy morning and I did not get
moving as early as I wanted. I hope your Sunday started off well and that you
are enjoying the gifts of an early spring Sunday afternoon. It is a beautiful sunny
but cool day here in southern New Jersey.
Our
Gospel today is a wonderful reminder that we have to be aware of the presence
of God in our lives. I know that I don’t always recognize Jesus and at times I
let the struggles and problems of life become too big.
So this
afternoon I pray that God will bless us with strength, courage and joy when
Jesus enters our live, invites us to recall the story and opens our hearts to
his word and presence. May God bless us with the joyfulness of life and not
allow us to be burdened by the struggles of life. May we encounter God in the
breaking of the bread, the sharing of the cup, the gathering of family and
friends and within the gift of our own life today and always. Have a blessed Sunday
afternoon and evening everyone! Peace in Christ’s Passion and Joy in the Risen
Lord…Fr. Paul
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