Sunday, May 1, 2022

 THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

(Acts 5:27-32.40b-41; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19)

Fishing for cod in the North Atlantic was once easy. All you had to do was lower a basket into the water to catch the fish. According to one report, no doubt exaggerated, the cod formed a pathway on the surface of the sea from Newfoundland to Europe. Due to its overabundance, codfish, as well as rabbits, could serve as a symbol of Easter. In fact, in the gospel today the abundance of fish indicates the presence of the risen Jesus.

The Gospel can be divided into three parts: the great catch under the instructions of the Risen One, the recognition of the Risen One in the sharing of bread, and Peter's commission to lead the flock of Christ. Each part has a lesson for us Christians.

The resurrection of Jesus brings life in its fullness. Victorious over death, Jesus will share the fruits of new life with his disciples. This abundance of life is indicated by the catch so huge that it almost breaks the fishermen’s net. We can see this kind of abundance in the lives of committed people in our midst. Two years ago, a farmer named Andrew Carr died in the delta region of the state of Mississippi. He was not famous in the sense that his name was a household word in the state and much less in the country. However, his obituary drew attention. He had an abundance of friends and admirers in addition to a wife of seventy years, five children, fourteen grandchildren, and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Mr. Carr served his parish as extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, bible teacher, president of the construction committee, and member of the choir among other offices. But perhaps his relationship with Christ can best be appreciated in his participation in Perpetual Adoration. For years Andrew got up in the middle of the night on Tuesday to spend an hour before the Blessed Sacrament. Like the disciples in today’s gospel, he knew the risen Lord in the sharing of bread.

Christ asks for commitment from his acquaintances. In the reading he takes Peter aside to draw from him a declaration of love. Only then does Jesus entrust him with the care of his sheep. For such a great responsibility as the direction of the Church requires a love without limit. Mr. Carr demonstrated this type of leadership. He was the first to develop agriculture by starting to irrigate his fields and reclaiming the land from the waters. More representative of his commitment to Christ was his involvement in the struggle for civil rights. Andrew Carr was president of the federal program to end poverty for six years. He thus initiated services such as education of children before going to school, legal aid, education of adults, and training of agricultural workers.

In the first reading the apostles provide a primary principle of faith. Peter and the others tell the Jewish council of the need to obey God first. Only then could they heed the orders of other men. It is worth reflecting a little on what this proverb means in our lives. Where men say we should secure our own comfort, Jesus tells us, "Follow me."  Where men say that we should only care about the welfare of our family and friends, Christ says to us, "Feed (all) my sheep." Where men want us to be as carefree as twenty-year-olds, the voice of the Lord tells us: “…when you are old,…another will gird you and lead you where you do not want to go”.  Where we may not want to go, but where we must go, is to always do God’s will.


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