Third Sunday Of Easter, Year C, By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp

First Reading: Acts 5:27b-32.40b-4 / Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 30:2, 4.5-6.11-12, 13b (R. 2a) Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14 / Gospel: John 21:1-19

Theme: Witnessing Through Sacrificial Leadership

One of the tasks allotted to us as believers of the Resurrection is witnessing – sharing the Gospel about the risen Christ with people, whether it is welcomed or unwelcomed. It is about leading or shepherding people – ‘feeding and tending the sheep’. This is demanding and can cost us our lives. Peter seems to be running away from this task, but Jesus encourages and helps him to embrace it wholeheartedly through the path of love showing forth in sacrifice. To this end, the early Christians, particularly the Twelve Apostles, set out to witness by evangelising people. They do so by preaching and practically living what they preach. The result is that many signs and wonders are done through the resurrection power and in the name of Jesus. The readings today encourage us to imitate the early Christians and to consolidate the gains made by the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection. Christ is with us and will never abandon us on this path.

In the first reading, we read the statement of the disciples made with conviction and boldness before the Jewish Supreme Council, the Sanhedrin: “We must obey God rather than men… And we are witnesses to these things [i.e. the resurrection and healing of the cripple at the entrance of the temple], and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts 5:29, 32). First and foremost, based on their resurrection experiences, the early Christians feel obliged to obey God. Secondly, their obedience is translated into witnessing to the resurrection. They are so convinced that they say: “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). Like the Psalmist, the resurrection of Christ had resulted in their own ‘resurrection’ too, their own transformation, for which they sing: “I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up” (Ps. 30:2a). Certainly, this is an experience of a lifetime!

As if the resurrection of Jesus is something that only those on earth marvel at, God’s revelation to John on the Island of Patmos (second reading), suggests that, the whole of creation – visible and invisible – acknowledge the miracle of the resurrection and so we read thus: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing” (Rev. 5:12). Particularly, John’s vision reports: “And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, ‘To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!’” (Rev. 5:13). Hence, the tripartite division of the universe, namely, heaven, earth, and under the earth and all therein, should tell us of the cosmic and universal acknowledgment of Jesus’ resurrection. It tells us that Jesus is really God of the universe, he is supreme over all. This should lead us to total devotion to Jesus, adoring him with our lives.

The Gospel of today, the third Sunday of Easter, recounts the third resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples. There is the initial miracle of the catch of plenty big fish numbering about 153. According to St. Jerome, the number 153 is symbolic and represents the different species of fish in the sea. It means God welcomes all manner of people, none excepted; that one day, all men from all nations will be gathered together to Jesus. On his part, St. Cyril of Alexandria is of the view that the number 100 represents the “fullness of the Gentiles” who will be gathered to the Lord. The shepherd’s full flock is 100 (cf. Mt. 18:12). The 50 represents the remnant of Israel who will be gathered in, while the 3 stands for the Trinity. For St. Augustine, 10 is the number of the Law; there are 10 commandments. Also, 7 is the number of grace, for the gifts of the Spirit are sevenfold. 10+7=17 and the sum 1+2+3+4+5+……+17= 153. Therefore, 153 stands for those who either by Law or by grace have been moved to come to Jesus Christ. Irrespective of the interpretation, the great truth is that, God welcomes all without exclusiveness or selectiveness.

Also, the net which carried all 153 fish and never got torn represents the Church. There is room in the Church for all people of all nations, colour, status, etc, none excluded! It is catholic, that is, universal, and welcomes all; and it is didactic to note that the one who drew the net onto the shore is no other person, but Peter, the future shepherd of the Church of Christ (cf. Mt. 16:18).

It is instructive to learn that the disciples laboriously work all night without success, but at the direction of Jesus, they make a surprise catch. This opens the eyes of John the Beloved who tells Peter: “It is the Lord” (Jn. 21:7). Our vocations and various professions become a cumbersome and fruitless drudgery without the presence of Christ. Life minus Christ is equal to crisis. Let us begin and end our daily activities with God. When we punctuate the moments of our daily lives by making contact with the Lord, we would be surrounded with divine surprises, miracles and the result would be a life characterised by unquantifiable cheerfulness, peace and progress.

Again, in the context of a meal, roasted fish with bread, Jesus invites his disciples for breakfast saying: “Come and have breakfast” (Jn. 21:12a). We read that: “Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish” (Jn. 21:13). At this meal, we read “Now none of the disciples dared to ask him [Jesus], ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord” (Jn. 21:12b). Even now, Jesus feeds us with his Word as well as his Body and Blood at Mass. Missing the Holy Eucharist leads to spiritual starvation and dehydration. As a matter of fact, it is only God who can truly ‘feed’ us to satisfaction, and when God gives to us, we never hunger nor thirst again. As the Summum Bonum (The Highest Good), the best gift he gives us is the Holy Spirit, the Advocate living in us, the living water, ‘flowing’ through our lives to animate, teach, guide, protect, purify, renew, revive and inspire us (see Lk. 11:13, Jn. 4:10ff, Jn. 14:26, 15:26).

After the breakfast experience, Jesus demands total loyalty and pastoral responsibility from Peter, the one on whose faith he built the Christian Church and to whom he entrusted its leadership (cf. Mt. I6:18). Jesus asks Peter three times whether he (Peter) loves him (Jesus). The first time, he calls Simon Peter “son of John” in reference to Peter’s father. “Do you love me more than these [other disciples]?” (Jn. 21:15). When Peter answers in the affirmative, Jesus tells him: “Feed my lambs” (Jn. 21:15). For the second time, he addresses Peter, “son of John” and repeats his question simply asking without reference to the other disciples: “Do you love me?” (Jn. 21:16). Peter also repeats his first answer: “Yes Lord; you know that I love you” (Jn. 21:16). At this, Jesus retorts: “Tend my sheep” (Jn. 21:16). For the third time, Jesus addresses Peter, “son of John” and then asks: “Do you love me?” (Jn. 21:17). Perhaps, at this, Peter remembers the past, his triple denial of Jesus at the crucial moment of his passion, and feeling grieved, he answers Jesus: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you” (Jn. 21:17). Jesus then says: “Feed my sheep” (Jn. 21:17). Peter’s past keeps him at a standstill, however, the warmth of Jesus’ love gives him hope again for a better future. Peter does not and will not allow his past to conquer him as Judas did!

Be that as it may, Jesus’ triple questioning is made to undo Peter’s triple denial, the denial borne out of earthly weakness, the stronghold of his past, and the sin of his humanity as “son of John.” By this event, Jesus is pointing out to Peter that if he continues to depend on his own strength and his past, he would always fail even if he has the best of intentions. Jesus then provides him a solution, namely, the way of love, of sacrifice, of giving oneself to others in order to “feed” and “tend” them. This shepherding or leadership role is pastoral, and it involves no other ‘animal’ but lambs, sheep with all their somewhat ‘silliness’; a very difficult job to handle, to ‘catch’ and lead human beings with all their complexities! Indeed, such a situation only calls for divine aid and not human power! By this, Jesus was encouraging Peter, and also demanding from him, loyalty, commitment, and readiness; no longer looking back to the past and refusing responsibility, but to grow to maturity in relationship with God and fellow human beings. For this reason, Jesus needed confirmation, a declaration of Peter’s fiat, his yes to give himself totally to the service of God and humanity. Jesus wants to hear from us too! He asks us personally even now: “Do you love me?”

Beloved in Christ, Eastertide affords us the great opportunity to ponder again and again the Paschal mystery culminating in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us not dwell on the past, wailing over our weaknesses and mistakes. Like Peter, let us accept Christ’s challenge to witness him to the world suffering from corruption, greed, perversion, malpractice, indifference, and sin. All around us we experience racism, unfair international trade policies, economic imbalances, bad governance and structural evil. These festering wounds and scars reflect a sick world in need of God’s healing.

Admittedly, these are the areas Jesus is calling us to show exemplary and sacrificial leadership and to make better and brighter. Undoubtedly, this is herculean, but Jesus has confidence in us and will supply all our needs according to his riches in glory. In love, humility, responsibility, courage and selflessness, let us perform our daily tasks – be it religious or secular – knowing that it is God who calls us to witness and to lead the sheep of God. May God banish all fear preventing us from reaching our potential and purpose in life. May his divine Spirit strengthen us as we pledge our allegiance to follow him as our Master, and to do his bidding always and everywhere. Happy Sunday and may God bless us!

 Remember: #Witnessing-Through-Sacrificial-Leadership#