Third Sunday of Easter

First Reading

Acts 5,27-32.40-41

When they had brought them in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation. 'We gave you a strong warning', he said, 'not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt for this man's death on us.' In reply Peter and the apostles said, 'Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, whom you executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and Saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.' and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.

Psalmody

Psalm 30

Antiphon

In your hands, Lord I entrust my spirit.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be put to shame.

In your justice, set me free,
hear me and speedily rescue me.

Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mighty stronghold to save me,

for you are my rock, my stronghold.
For your name's sake, lead me and guide me.

Release me from the snares they have hidden
for you are my refuge, Lord.

Into your hands I commend my spirit.
It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

O God of truth, you detest
those who worship false and empty gods.

As for me, I trust in the Lord :
let me be glad and rejoice in your love.

You who have seen my affliction
and taken heed of my soul's distress,

have not handed me over to the enemy,
but set my feet at large.

Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for I am in distress.

Tears have wasted my eyes,
my throat and my heart.

For my life is spent with sorrow
and my years with sighs.

Affliction has broken down my strength
and my bones waste away.

In the face of all my foes
I am a reproach,

an object of scorn to my neighbours
and of fear to my friends.

Those who see me in the street
run far away from me.

I am like a dead man, forgotten,
like a thing thrown away.

I have heard the slander of the crowd,
fear is all around me,

as they plot together against me,
as they plan to take my life.

But as for me, I trust in you, Lord,
I say :'You are my God.

My life is in your hands, deliver me
from the hands of those who hate me.

Let your face shine on your servant.
Save me in your love.

Let me not be put to shame for I call you,
let the wicked be shamed!

Let them be silenced in the grave,
let lying lips be dumb,

that speak haughtily against the just
with pride and contempt'

How great is the goodness, Lord,
that you keep for those who fear you,

that you show to those who trust you
in the sight of men.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence
from the plotting of men :

you keep them safe within your tent
from disputing tongues.

Blessed be the Lord who has shown me
the wonders of his love
in a fortified city.

'I am far removed from your sight'
I said in my alarm.

Yet you heard the voice of my plea
when I cried for help.

Love the Lord, all you saints.
He guards his faithful

but the Lord will repay to the full
those who act with pride.

Be strong, let your heart take courage,
all who hope in the Lord.

Second Reading

Revelation 5,11-14

In my vision, I heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the living creatures and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, loudly chanting: Worthy is the Lamb that was sacrificed to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing. Then I heard all the living things in creation -- everything that lives in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, crying: To the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever. And the four living creatures said, 'Amen'; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.

Reading of the Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

John 21,1-19

Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.' They replied, 'We'll come with you.' They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night. When it was already light, there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, 'Haven't you caught anything, friends?' And when they answered, 'No,' he said, 'Throw the net out to starboard and you'll find something.' So they threw the net out and could not haul it in because of the quantity of fish. The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord.' At these words, 'It is the Lord,' Simon Peter tied his outer garment round him (for he had nothing on) and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net with the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land. As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.' Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, 'Who are you?'. They knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead. When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' A second time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Look after my sheep.' Then he said to him a third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, 'Do you love me?' and said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep. In all truth I tell you, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.' In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, 'Follow me.'

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Yesterday I was buried with Christ,
today I rise with you who are risen.
With you I was crucified;
remember me, Lord, in your kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Homily

The Gospel of today's liturgy narrates the third manifestation of the risen Jesus: at dawn - the beginning of a new day - Jesus comes close to the disciples and, calling them "children" asks them something to eat. Those seven disciples confess all of their powerlessness: they did not have even the five loaves and the two fish that they had presented to Jesus in the first multiplication of the bread, right there on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. With authoritative friendship, Jesus invites them to cast their nets on the other side. They obeyed without opposing the slightest reasonable resistance: the fishing was miraculous, beyond any measure. This extraordinary experience makes one of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, exclaimed: "It is the Lord!" Simon Peter, realizing the closeness of the Lord, understands all of his unworthiness - he had betrayed Jesus three times - and swims rapidly towards Jesus, while the others follow with the boat full of fish. When they reach the shore, they see a fire with bread and fish prepared by Jesus. Jesus invites to the Holy Liturgy that he himself prepares and welcomes them, however he asks the disciples to bring the miraculously caught fish, as if to make them active part of the celebration. to bring The scene is simple but also full of amazement for the familiarity of the situation. And there is a question that is necessary, that of Jesus to Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Jesus questions Peter about love. Jesus did not remind him his betrayal of a few days earlier as love covers a large number of sins. And Peter, who is still full of shame in front of Jesus, promptly answers: "Yes Lord, you know that I love you." The question, repeated there times, means always. Every day, we are asked if we love the Lord. Every day, he entrusts us with the care of others. The only strength, the only title, that allows us to live is love for the Lord. Jesus said again to Peter, "When you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished." Maybe the younger age came to mind to Peter, but Jesus adds, "When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." The Gospel explains that it speaks of his death but also of each of us: the Lord does not leave us alone. The love about which we are questioned commits the Lord Jesus before us. In fact, he is the one who loved us first and will never abandon us again, even when "another will fasten our belt around us and take us where we do not wish to go." What counts is faithfulness to that holy meal on the shore of the lake of Galilee, to the Hoy Liturgy Sunday, which has a flavour of eternity, the eternity of Jesus' love for the Church, for the Community, and for each one of us.