{"id":730,"date":"2019-05-10T11:49:22","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T11:49:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sundayscriptureonline.com\/?p=730"},"modified":"2019-05-10T11:53:24","modified_gmt":"2019-05-10T11:53:24","slug":"5-may-2019-c-third-sunday-of-easter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sundayscriptureonline.com\/?p=730","title":{"rendered":"5 May 2019 (C) THIRD SUNDAY of Easter"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A. The Bible as\nGuide in Life and Liturgy (Sunday Readings)<\/em><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

B. Reflection & Dialogue: The struggling Church on earth; the Lamb reigning in heaven; the\nPetrine ministry today<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A. The Bible as Guide in Life and\nLiturgy (Sunday Readings)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Reading <\/em>(Acts 5:27-32, 40-41). We are witnesses of all this, we and the\nHoly Spirit. <\/em>This reading with its central message of the fearless witness\nborne by the apostles to Jesus is best understood within the broader original\ncontext. That context is the second arrest of the apostles (Acts 5:12-42). At\nfirst matters were going very well for the apostles as they preach the\nresurrection in Solomon\u2019s Portico in the Temple\nwith great success (5:12-16). Jealousy of the high priest and the Sadducees\nleads to the arrest and imprisonment of the apostles, followed by their\nmiraculous release and a divine command to preach in the Temple \u201cthe words of\nthis Life\u201d, that is the new Life, the salvation, brought by Jesus. Hearing of\ntheir release and their renewed preaching the high priest had them arrested\nagain and brought for interrogation (5:17-26). Today\u2019s reading tells of this\ninterrogation and the candid and fearless response of Peter and the apostles.\nThey are witnesses to Christ\u2019s resurrection and call to repentance, and so is\nthe Holy Spirit who gives the gift of faith to those who in obedience to it\nbelieve (5:27–32). There follows an intervention of the Pharisee Gamaliel\nsuggesting caution (5:33-39), which led to the apostles being flogged (39\nlashes) and discharged. The apostles rejoiced at the humiliation for Christ and\ncontinued teaching and preaching the Gospel message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Responsorial Psalm <\/em>(Psalm\n29). I will praise you, Lord, you have\nrescued me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second Reading <\/em>(Apocalypse 5:11-14).\nThe Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to\nbe given riches and power. <\/em>In his initial vision of God in glory (4:1-11),\nJohn saw the divine throne surrounded by twenty-four thrones with twenty four\nelders on them dressed in white (as priests) and with golden crowns (royalty).\nTHese are angelic figures representing twelve (patriarchs?; prophets?) of the\nOld Testament and twelve of the New (apostles, the redeemed). Around the throne\nwere four living creatures, representing humans, birds and beasts \u2013 all angelic\ncreatures worshipping God. In the present heavenly scene innumerable angelic\nbeings, as well as the elders and four animals, worship both the risen Saviour,\n\u201cthe Lamb who was slain\u201d and \u201cthe One seated on the throne\u201d (God) as equals. This\npresentation of the proclaimed victory of the Lamb (Jesus) in the heavenly\ncourt is intended to give confidence to his followers on earth. The Lamb\u2019s\nvictory is theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gospel <\/em>(John 21:1-19).\nJesus stepped forward, and took bread and\ngave it to them, and the same with the fish. \n<\/em>This\nreading, from the last chapter of John\u2019s Gospel, is really from an epilogue to\nthe Gospel itself, although part of the Gospel down through the ages. Whereas\nthe lectionary indicates a longer and shorter version, it is best reflect on\nthe entire reading as one since it is designed as a unity. The first (shorter)\npart is about a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus at the Sea\n of Galilee and a miraculous catch of fish. This latter miracle is\nvery similar to the earlier miraculous catch we find in Luke 5:1-11. In both,\nthe central role of Peter as (future) successful fisher of adherents to the\nfaith is highlighted. This present narrative is highly symbolic; events, words\nand phrases are chosen to make the point of Peter\u2019s role in the Church. Reflection\non it is easy. There are seven disciples at the Sea\nof Tiberias (also known as the Sea, or\nLake, of Galilee). Peter takes the initiative\nto go fishing; the others follow. Jesus at the sea shore addresses them as\nfamiliars: \u201clads\u201d, rather than \u201cfriends\u201d. At his suggestion they drop the net\nagain and make a miraculous catch. The Beloved Disciple, here as earlier at the\ntomb (John 20:8), is first to recognize the Risen Saviour on the shore. Peter\ngoes to meet him while the others tow the net and fish. When Jesus says to take\nsome of the fish they have caught, it is Simon Peter alone who drags the net ashore\n\u201cfull of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of so many\nthe net was not broken\u201d (unlike the earlier narrative in Luke 5:6, \u201ctheir net\nwas breaking\u201d). All this is so very symbolic: Peter the fisherman takes the\nhuge catch (of believers) safely ashore. The number 153 too must be symbolic.\nWhile some scholars think the original significance is lost forever, or is\nvariously understood, a likely interpretation is that 153 was one figure then\ncurrent for the number of the species of fish in the sea. A Greek poet writing\non \u201cFishing\u201d a little later than John could say: <\/strong>\u201cInfinite and beyond ken are the\ntribes (of fish) that move and swim in the depths of the sea. … The briny sea\nfeeds not, I think, fewer herds nor lesser tribes (of fish) than earth,\nmother of many\u201d. <\/strong>Peter\u2019s net will embrace\nall humanity. The ending is all about Peter who has denied his Master, the Good\nShepherd, three times. This good shepherd, who loves his lambs and sheep, will\nnow confide these to Peter, but only after Peter has made profession of loving\nJesus \u201cmore than these\u201d (thus the text literally), possibly more than the other\ndisciples do, or more than he loves the other disciples, but also perhaps more\nprobably \u201cmore than he loves all else and all others\u201d. The episode ends with a\nprediction of how Peter will end his days, probably with a reference to his\ncrucifixion (\u201cyou will stretch your hands\u201d). Let us pray for Peter\u2019s successor,\nPope Francis.<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

B. Reflection & Dialogue<\/em><\/strong>: <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The struggling Church on earth; the Lamb reigning in\nheaven; the Petrine ministry today<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. We are witnesses to all this and the Holy Spirit given\nto believers. <\/em>The first reading and its\nbiblical context are very much about bearing witness, witness of the early\nstruggling church on earth. The apostles were miraculously released from prison\nand commanded by an angel of the Lord to go and speak to the people in the Temple \u201call the words of\nthis Life\u201d. The gospel message is to be presented as the words of life, or of\nsalvation (by Paul; Acts 13:26). It is something to be proud of, to be enthused\nabout. It is in this way that an early, and recent, generation have viewed the\nCatholic religion. We should look on our religion like that again today.\nAnother point from the first reading meriting attention is the apostles\u2019 reply:\n\u201cWe are witnesses to all of this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to\nthose who obey him\u201d, that is to those who believe. The apostles are witnesses\nthrough their preaching of the Gospel, an external action of no avail unless\nthe Holy Spirit gives internal witness as to its truth, leading to faith. In\nJohn\u2019s Gospel, too, Jesus speaks of the Holy Spirit (the Counsellor) bearing\nwitness to him, and the apostles also being witnesses (John 15:26-27). As a\nlesson for us today: prayer and devotion are essential for true faith, for\nbelief, for enthusiasm for \u201cthe word of Life\u201d, and for a life in keeping with\nthis belief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Heaven open to all. The earth no tunnel. <\/em>Pope Benedict XVI on more than one occasion alerted\nEuropean leaders and others of the danger of living as it were in a mental\ntunnel, with the view that the mind has no access to the transcendent, to any\nreality not perceptible to the senses or within the range of the human reason.\nThis would exclude the supernatural and all revelation from beyond reason and\nthe senses. It is a view all too common in Europe\ntoday, to be perceived in various forms of atheism and agnosticism. The message\nof apocalyptic, and the Apocalypse of John in our second readings for Mass, is\nquite the opposite. In keeping with the central Jewish and Christian message\nGod and the other world are realities. Today\u2019s second reading speaks of the\nvision in heaven of the glory of God and of the Lamb. Jesus\u2019 triumph, through\nhis death, resurrection and ascension to the Father, are proclaimed.  All this is intended as a source of\nconfidence and hope for us on earth. In last Sundays\u2019 second reading Jesus\nreminded us not to fear, that he is always with us, as the one who has\ntriumphed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Petrine ministry today.<\/em> The gospel reading highlights to place of Peter, and his\nrole in continuing the work of the Good Shepherd, \u201cthat all may be one\u201d.  Despite the opposition of many churches East\nand West to Rome\nfor centuries, the Pope, successor of Peter, has the ministry to bring Christ\u2019s\nsaving message to all, and to seek to heal present and past divisions. Let us\npray that our present Pope will find ways to advance this, and receive a\npositive response.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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