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.
