27 When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, 28 “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’sblood upon us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him.” 40 The Sanhedrin ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. 41 So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
P S A L M - Psalm 30: 2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
R: I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
1 [2] I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. 3 [4] O Lord, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. (R) 4 [5] Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his Holy Name. 5 [6]For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will. At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing. (R) 10 [11] “Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me; O Lord, be my helper.” 11 [12] You changed my mourning into dancing; 12 [13] O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks. (R)
2ND READING - Revelation 5:11-14
11 I, John, looked again and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number, 12 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.” 13 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.” 14 The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Christ is risen, creator of all; he has shown pity on all people.
John 21:1-19
1 At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. 2Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. 3 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. 4 When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11 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.12 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. 13 Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. 15 When they had finishedbreakfast, 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.” 16 He then said to him 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.” 17 Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he 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. 18Amen, 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.” 19 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.”
| SABBATH | ||
“DO YOU LOVE ME?”
It is always a special moment when I reach Tabgha, a quiet spot at the shore along the Sea of Galilee in the Holy Land. A small chapel by the lake, called the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy, built in basalt, invites one to visit. It covers a massive rock called “Mensa Christi,” the traditional site where the Risen Lord prepared breakfast for His seven disciples, as today’s Gospel narrates so vividly. Outside the chapel, under shady trees, overlooking the calm lake, stands a modern bronze sculpture showing Peter kneeling before the Risen Christ who asked him three times, “Peter, do you love me?”
Three times — obviously to make up for the three times Peter had denied his Master in the Garden of Gethsemane. No wonder Peter felt sad, being reminded of his weakness and failure.
In the original Greek text of the Gospel, we discover something else. There are three words for “love” in Greek. The first two times, Jesus uses those words which mean the highest form of love, but Peter, now more humble than ever, uses the Greek word for a lesser kind of love — another reason for him to feel sad. But then, the third time, Jesus also uses the word for the lesser kind of love. He challenged Peter to an ideal, but seeing that he was not ready for it, Jesus steps down to his level, meets him where he is, knowing well that over the years Peter would reach that ideal love when he would give his life for Christ on a cross in Rome.
That’s Good News, indeed. We are also challenged by the Lord to reach high ideals in our faith life, but so often, we fail Him and do not come up to the Lord’s expectations. Yet this should not discourage us. Jesus understands us as He understood Peter. He meets us where we are right now, if only we allow Him to lead us and move forward to the Christian ideal we are called to. In Christian life, there is no standing still and relaxing. Christian life is an adventure, a challenge, a constant moving on. Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How strong is your love for God? How does it show in your daily life?
Lord, if You ask me today, “Do you love me?” I would say yes but, to be honest, my love is not strong enough to give myself totally to You. Lord, let me love You even more.
Blessed Peter Gonzalez, pray for us.
Lots of surprises await. |
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