3rd Sunday of Easter Year C - 5/5/2019 - Gospel: Jn 21:1-14
Caring with Love
The death and resurrection of Jesus is both condemnation and consolation. What is being condemned? His death condemned the power of darkness and evil spirit, and all that is invented by Satan. Jesus' appearances to His apostles show that the Risen Lord is the loving and forgiving God. Everywhere He went, He filled the hearts of people not only with the gift of joy, but He offered them heavenly gifts, the gift of eternal life. To His apostles, He showed God's love, forgiveness and consolation. He empowered them with the gift of His own Spirit. He breathed on them and sent them to spread the Good News. We, humans, are incapable of receiving all God's gifts at once, as Jesus once said it would be too much for us to receive all God's gifts at once but God will give us God's Spirit Who will slowly reveal His will to us Jn 16,12.
The very first time Jesus appeared to His apostles, He gave them the gift of peace. God's gift filled them with great joy. 'Peace be with you' He said, and showed them His hands and His side Jn 20,20. It served as the proof that the Crucified Jesus and the Risen Jesus is the same person. At the second appearance, Jesus gave them God's Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Lord. The apostles were like dead men walking aimlessly and lost. Seeing Jesus, they came alive with true hope and a bright future. He gave them His Spirit when 'He breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit' Jn 20,22. The third appearance was when Jesus appeared to the apostles, in the midst of their daily toil, on the shore of Tiberias. God knows our mind and heart, but for the sake of other apostles, Jesus asked Peter three times 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?'. Each time Peter professed that he loved Jesus. At each answer, Jesus entrusted Peter one more task. The first one was to 'feed my lambs'. The second task was to 'look after my sheep', and the third and last one was 'feed my sheep' Jn 21,15-17. The tasks given were the life time commitment and it entailed great challenges that involved sacrifice. The evangelist spelled out clearly 'the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God' v.19
We, the followers of Jesus, are called to mission, with great love. Feed the lambs, look after the sheep and feed the sheep. Doing the action of feeding, looking after, and caring for others with great love is what Jesus expects His followers to do. It is not a choice but a must. The Risen Lord empowered us with the Spirit of love. Love is given, received and love is shared. God's love is always active and accompanies us on our mission. No more instructions about how to do the mission are needed, because we are led by God's Spirit.
The very first time Jesus appeared to His apostles, He gave them the gift of peace. God's gift filled them with great joy. 'Peace be with you' He said, and showed them His hands and His side Jn 20,20. It served as the proof that the Crucified Jesus and the Risen Jesus is the same person. At the second appearance, Jesus gave them God's Spirit, the Spirit of the Risen Lord. The apostles were like dead men walking aimlessly and lost. Seeing Jesus, they came alive with true hope and a bright future. He gave them His Spirit when 'He breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit' Jn 20,22. The third appearance was when Jesus appeared to the apostles, in the midst of their daily toil, on the shore of Tiberias. God knows our mind and heart, but for the sake of other apostles, Jesus asked Peter three times 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?'. Each time Peter professed that he loved Jesus. At each answer, Jesus entrusted Peter one more task. The first one was to 'feed my lambs'. The second task was to 'look after my sheep', and the third and last one was 'feed my sheep' Jn 21,15-17. The tasks given were the life time commitment and it entailed great challenges that involved sacrifice. The evangelist spelled out clearly 'the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God' v.19
We, the followers of Jesus, are called to mission, with great love. Feed the lambs, look after the sheep and feed the sheep. Doing the action of feeding, looking after, and caring for others with great love is what Jesus expects His followers to do. It is not a choice but a must. The Risen Lord empowered us with the Spirit of love. Love is given, received and love is shared. God's love is always active and accompanies us on our mission. No more instructions about how to do the mission are needed, because we are led by God's Spirit.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
