Commentary

Sunday, 5/5/2019, Third Sunday of Easter

Who Do You Obey?

First Reading Commentary: Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

The Apostles were tried by the Sanhedrin and the high priest questioned them saying, “We gave you strict orders did we not…? Peter and the Apostles said, “We must obey God rather than men.” Then the Apostles repeated what they had told the Sanhedrin when they were questioned before; that God had raised Jesus, that it was the Sanhedrin who had Him crucified but that God exalted Jesus. The Apostles added that they were witnesses and that God had given the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.

The Sanhedrin became infuriated with the Apostles for their defiance and in Acts 5:33, we see that the Sanhedrin wanted to put the Apostles to death. The Apostles experienced the same relationship with the Sanhedrin that Christ did. The Sanhedrin was willing to satisfy their wicked pride and stop any message from being preached except for their own by killing the Apostles but the Apostles were not intimidated and did not back down.

The Apostles were not only filled with the Holy Spirit, they had no problem with letting the Sanhedrin know it. In this particular encounter, I see Peter and the Apostles especially filled with the gifts of fear of the Lord, courage and wisdom.

Having fear of the Lord means being in awe and wonder at God’s awesome power. We give God honor and praise, not because we are afraid of God but because we respect God and therefore, we obey Him.

It took fear of the Lord together with great courage to stand up to the Sanhedrin and say, “We must obey God rather than men.” It took the wisdom of being able to see God working within them for Peter and the Apostles to out-wit the Sanhedrin who, were left without a rebuttal just as they were left without a rebuttal with Christ. There was nothing that the Sanhedrin could say or do except continuing to plot to have the Apostles killed for their defiance.

We have considered the questions of how deep our faith is and how much we are willing to do for our faith many times. Today, we consider the question of just how willing we are to obey God. Remember that Peter told the Sanhedrin that God had given the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him.

We often times find ourselves in the position of following an order from a superior or giving into a loved one or caving into peer pressure and doing something that we don’t want to do or something that we know is wrong. We almost always regret it later. I’m not talking about stupid trivial things. I’m talking about things which we know are sinful.

The next time that you find yourself in a tough spot confronted with such a choice, think about Peter and the Apostles in front of the Sanhedrin. Pray asking them to come and support you with the Holy Spirit and the gifts of, fear of the Lord, courage and wisdom which will help you to make the right choice. It may cost you but who do you obey, God or men?

The Apostles rejoiced. Their love for God and their faith in God was so powerful that the Apostles had no fear. They were more than willing to follow Christ even if it meant being put to death as Christ was. The Apostles were becoming more and more like Christ. They also obeyed Christ and they were not about to let the Sanhedrin stand in their way.

Let’s imagine that we were in front of the Sanhedrin. What would we have done? Would we have totally ignored the Sanhedrin as the Apostles did? Would we have continued to proclaim the Word knowing full well that we would probably be killed?

It is unlikely that any of us will be tried for our faith in the way that the Apostles were. But in the world that we live in, our faith is tested and members of the faithful are persecuted every day. This is a good time and place to stop, take a look within and evaluate our faith. We all need to ask the Father to have His Holy Spirit descend upon us with His seven Gifts in the name of the Son. We should do this every day.

The closer we are to God, the more we will live by His commandments. The more determined and committed we are to living our lives according to God’s Will, the easier it will be to proclaim the Word, no matter what the cost may be.

Worthy is the Lamb

Second Reading Commentary: Revelation 5:11-14

In today’s second reading from Revelation, John listened to the angels cry out, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain…” Then John heard every creature in heaven and in the universe cry out, “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”

In this part of John’s vision of the last day and the Kingdom, he witnessed what was prophesized—the Lamb that was slain is now the King who sits on the Throne. Isaiah prophesized the Lamb’s sacrifice in chapter 53 and, in his dream—Daniel 7:13-14, Daniel saw the Son of Man receive dominion, glory and kingship.  

The Lamb of God, Christ the King, is worthy and all praise and honor will be given to Him by everyone and everything. The King together with the Father and the Spirit are the Almighty and shall be forever and ever.

To be blessed is to be happy. So, when all of the creatures cried out, they were calling for happiness. Imagine a time and place where there is infinite joy and happiness. Imagine a place where there is endless peace.

Would you not want to give all praise and honor and glory to the One who showed you the way to get there and opened the door so that you could enter? The praise and honor that we will cry out in heaven on the last day and beyond for all eternity will be: an outward sign of our gratitude. It will be the only thing that we can do to say, “Thank You!”

Christ came on earth and showed us the path. He was the Lamb that gave His life so that the door could be opened for us. All we have to do is follow the path, go through the door and enjoy infinite happiness and endless peace. It is for this reason that we were created in the first place.

Jesus Has Our Backs. Do We Have His?

Gospel Commentary: John 21:1-19

In today’s gospel, Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples for the third time after His Resurrection and performed a miracle for them. They had been fishing all night but had caught nothing. So, Jesus told them to cast their nets to the right side of the boat and they would find something.  They caught so many fish that they could hardly pull the net in.

The disciples did not immediately recognize Jesus because they were off shore and Jesus was on the beach. But as soon as they caught the fish, they knew that it was Him because this was not the first time that Jesus had performed this miracle for them. See Luke 5:4-7. Then Jesus had breakfast with them.

Once again, Jesus teaches us in this gospel and demonstrates to us, that when we put our faith in Him, He will provide for us in abundance and He will tend to our needs. The disciples did not ask for the Lord’s help, but they got it anyway. Jesus will always be there for us even though we may not ask. In other words, Jesus has our backs. It does not cost us anything and all we have to do is love Him and put our faith in God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

John tells us that were one hundred and fifty-three large fish caught in total. Biologists believe that there were one hundred and fifty-three species of fish in the world during that time. So, maybe John wanted us to know that there was at least one fish caught for each species.

Just as Jesus provided every kind of fish known to be in the world at that time, Jesus provides for all of us. It does not matter where we come from or what our background is. It does not matter how much we have or how poor we are. We can be sick or we can be in perfect health. We can we wise and/or a genius or we can be stupid. It does not matter how you may want to classify a person; they are a child of God; God loves them and God always wants to provide.

Remember that Jesus had told the disciples before that He would make them fishers of men. Remember too that Matthew ends his gospel with the Ascension of Jesus into heaven and at that time, Jesus instructed them to go and teach all nations. If in fact, there were one hundred and fifty-three species of fish in the world at that time, it is safe to say that Jesus used the fish to prepare the disciples for His instruction of teaching all nations.

Three times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him. The first time, Peter said, “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” The second time Peter gave the same response and Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” The third time Peter was distressed and answered, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Jesus purposely asked Peter if he loved Him three times because Peter denied knowing Jesus three times after the Last Supper. By answering, “Yes” to Jesus three times, Peter vindicated himself. At the same time, Jesus gave Peter jurisdiction as supreme shepherd and ruler over the whole flock thus making Peter the first Pope.

I believe that there is more to Jesus giving instruction to Peter three times. The first time that Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Jesus was telling Peter to evangelize, spread the Good News and feed the people with the Word. Then Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus was telling Peter to take care of the people by baptizing them and administering the sacraments to them. With the last instruction, Jesus again said, “Feed my sheep.” This time Jesus was telling Peter to feed the people with the Eucharist.

Everyone is a child of God and as such, we are the sheep. Loyal Catholics understand that when they attend Mass, they are there to be fed by the Word—Gospel and by the Eucharist.

Finally, Jesus told Peter that he would live to be an old man and how he would die. Jesus told Peter that his hands would be stretched out and that he would be led to a place that he did not want to go. Jesus was telling Peter that he would be crucified and Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me.”

When Peter told Jesus three times that he loved Him, Peter more than vindicated himself. He became just like Jesus and gave all of himself with humility and Peter did follow Jesus. He did as Jesus asked and when his time came, he did not consider himself to be worthy of being put to death in the same manner as Jesus. Peter therefore asked that he be crucified upside down and he was granted that request.

Do we love God enough to do as Peter did? Do we love God enough to obey with the same resolve as Peter? In today’s first reading, we consider the question, “How far are we willing to go to obey God?” This gospel gives us the opportunity to meditate on that question again and, to consider if our humility can be compared to that of Peter?

Reading 1          Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41

When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name?
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men.
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.
God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.
We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”

The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.

Responsorial Psalm          Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. or: R. Alleluia.

I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. or: R. Alleluia.

Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. or: R. Alleluia.

Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. or: R. Alleluia.

Reading 2         Revelations 5:11-14

I, John, looked and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders.
They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,
honor and glory and blessing.”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”
The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Gospel          John 21:1-19

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”