Fr. Michael Carlini, SX
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
The environmental scenario of the gospel is the Sea of Galilee, some 120 Km away from Jerusalem. There are seven disciples, Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, John, James and two others: 7 in total, enough to represent the entirety of both the Church (disciples) and humanity (fishermen). The situation is heavy: no one knows what to do and what to say. Why are they so far from the Holy City? This tells us a lot about the Apostles.
All the disciples are troubled by the turn of the events, perhaps everyone thinks about the weakness shown in the supreme hour of trial, when they fled before the arrest of Jesus. They feel ashamed, and remorse is tormenting their minds. One thing is certain: Jesus is no longer among them. Therefore they run away from Jerusalem: there are too many bitter memories connected with that town. The Apostles are not at ease to look at each other. Simon Peter tells his brother: “I am going fishing”. This is the same temptation that we all experience: when I distance myself from the Risen Lord, I go back to who I was before meeting Jesus: Back to square one! (A song we sing here says: “The places I used to go, I go there no more...”: instead Peter goes back to his old lake!!). That night, even a skilled fisherman like him, does not catch anything. Empty his heart, empty his nets. It is night, inside and outside. I should always renew the joy I experienced when I decided to be a Christian. When the attractions of our modern life or my tight timetable makes me forget about my spiritual life, I sadly go back to where I was before Jesus called me.
But the Lord appears to Peter and the others on that lake, though they do not recognize him. On his word, they cast again the net, and the boat is full of fish! Now Simon does not send the nets into the water anymore: he sends himself into the lake, to reach Jesus speedily. As they touch the dry land, Christ gives them breakfast: the bread and the fish. He is celebrating the Eucharist, not in a domestic room, but open to the whole world. It is a liturgy that is now universal.
In the first reading the Authorities of Jerusalem strictly forbid Peter and the Apostles to preach the Good News of Jesus. But by now they have received the Spirit of Pentecost, and bravely tell the High Priests that they must obey God first: they are the first “Conscientious objectors”.
Last Sunday, in the first reading, we read that the people of Jerusalem laid their sick along the road where Peter would pass, because even his shadow could cure them.
That “shadow” is this Xaverian website that you have accessed now, or our ‘Facebook’ page. It is not like encountering personally and directly Jesus, we know that, but we have the strong hope that this social/virtual shadow, can make you experience Christ’s liberating and joyous presence in your life.
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
The environmental scenario of the gospel is the Sea of Galilee, some 120 Km away from Jerusalem. There are seven disciples, Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, John, James and two others: 7 in total, enough to represent the entirety of both the Church (disciples) and humanity (fishermen). The situation is heavy: no one knows what to do and what to say. Why are they so far from the Holy City? This tells us a lot about the Apostles.
All the disciples are troubled by the turn of the events, perhaps everyone thinks about the weakness shown in the supreme hour of trial, when they fled before the arrest of Jesus. They feel ashamed, and remorse is tormenting their minds. One thing is certain: Jesus is no longer among them. Therefore they run away from Jerusalem: there are too many bitter memories connected with that town. The Apostles are not at ease to look at each other. Simon Peter tells his brother: “I am going fishing”. This is the same temptation that we all experience: when I distance myself from the Risen Lord, I go back to who I was before meeting Jesus: Back to square one! (A song we sing here says: “The places I used to go, I go there no more...”: instead Peter goes back to his old lake!!). That night, even a skilled fisherman like him, does not catch anything. Empty his heart, empty his nets. It is night, inside and outside. I should always renew the joy I experienced when I decided to be a Christian. When the attractions of our modern life or my tight timetable makes me forget about my spiritual life, I sadly go back to where I was before Jesus called me.
But the Lord appears to Peter and the others on that lake, though they do not recognize him. On his word, they cast again the net, and the boat is full of fish! Now Simon does not send the nets into the water anymore: he sends himself into the lake, to reach Jesus speedily. As they touch the dry land, Christ gives them breakfast: the bread and the fish. He is celebrating the Eucharist, not in a domestic room, but open to the whole world. It is a liturgy that is now universal.
In the first reading the Authorities of Jerusalem strictly forbid Peter and the Apostles to preach the Good News of Jesus. But by now they have received the Spirit of Pentecost, and bravely tell the High Priests that they must obey God first: they are the first “Conscientious objectors”.
Last Sunday, in the first reading, we read that the people of Jerusalem laid their sick along the road where Peter would pass, because even his shadow could cure them.
That “shadow” is this Xaverian website that you have accessed now, or our ‘Facebook’ page. It is not like encountering personally and directly Jesus, we know that, but we have the strong hope that this social/virtual shadow, can make you experience Christ’s liberating and joyous presence in your life.