Readings for Friday in the Octave of Easter[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 4:1-12
We continue to follow Peter and John as they proclaim Christ crucified and risen. As we hear today, their effective apology has now gained them an audience with Caiaphas and the rest of the Sanhedrin – the very same people who handed Jesus over to be crucified and Peter, having just performed a saving act in His name, reminds them with the famous cornerstone (in other versions the word used is “keystone” or “head of the corner”) speech using imagery from their own hymnal Psalm 118:22 coincidently used as our psalm response below.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
This litany of thanksgiving features the cornerstone image that, in addition to the Acts selection above, was also used in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 12:10) and the first epistle of St. Peter (1 Peter 2:7) (there are 9 other references in the NAB as well).
Gospel John 21:1-14
The Gospel from St. John gives us the Lord’s third appearance to the disciples. Again he his not at first recognized. In typical Johannine fashion, the first to recognize the Lord was the disciple whom Jesus loved, presumed to be St. John himself.
Jesus tells them were to cast the net and, indeed, they net a great number of fish (153 probably symbolic of universal mission of the Church - the total species of fish known at the time or the sum of numbers from 1-17). Peter is so excited he jumps in and swims to shore, discovering Jesus with a fish already cooking and bread, a Eucharistic reference.
When they are joined by the other disciples they were so overawed that they could not even speak. Then the Lord broke the bread.
Reflection:
One week ago today we recalled the Passion of our Lord and felt the tragic pang of sorrow as he was laid in the tomb. It always seems odd to see the tabernacle bare and empty, the vigil light extinguished. Lots of folks can’t seem to understand or perhaps they are just so accustomed to reverencing the Eucharist they don’t think about what it is that‘s missing.
Today, that missing component is back, back in the tabernacle, back with the disciples who themselves are back fishing were many of them started. Now the Lord lets them and us know that, while he has fulfilled the Father’s plan, the mission has not completed. The Lord has made them and us, as he promised, “Fishers of men”. He directs us and we cast a net that is full of fish.
Knowing we need strength for such a difficult task he feeds us with his own body in the Eucharist – he says “Come, have breakfast.” The scripture story has one additional piece of symbolism for us after that invitation – the disciples, the ones he called and who had been walking with him for three long years, they were there and they too were afraid of the task that beaconed to them.
Today as we again pray in thanksgiving that “He is Risen!” we also ask God for the strength to carry on the work to which, like the disciples on the shore of Galilee, we are called. May his Holy Spirit guide us and His Body strengthen us.
Pax
Please Pray for Esther.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Acts 4:1-12
We continue to follow Peter and John as they proclaim Christ crucified and risen. As we hear today, their effective apology has now gained them an audience with Caiaphas and the rest of the Sanhedrin – the very same people who handed Jesus over to be crucified and Peter, having just performed a saving act in His name, reminds them with the famous cornerstone (in other versions the word used is “keystone” or “head of the corner”) speech using imagery from their own hymnal Psalm 118:22 coincidently used as our psalm response below.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
This litany of thanksgiving features the cornerstone image that, in addition to the Acts selection above, was also used in the Gospel of St. Mark (Mark 12:10) and the first epistle of St. Peter (1 Peter 2:7) (there are 9 other references in the NAB as well).
Gospel John 21:1-14
The Gospel from St. John gives us the Lord’s third appearance to the disciples. Again he his not at first recognized. In typical Johannine fashion, the first to recognize the Lord was the disciple whom Jesus loved, presumed to be St. John himself.
Jesus tells them were to cast the net and, indeed, they net a great number of fish (153 probably symbolic of universal mission of the Church - the total species of fish known at the time or the sum of numbers from 1-17). Peter is so excited he jumps in and swims to shore, discovering Jesus with a fish already cooking and bread, a Eucharistic reference.
When they are joined by the other disciples they were so overawed that they could not even speak. Then the Lord broke the bread.
Reflection:
One week ago today we recalled the Passion of our Lord and felt the tragic pang of sorrow as he was laid in the tomb. It always seems odd to see the tabernacle bare and empty, the vigil light extinguished. Lots of folks can’t seem to understand or perhaps they are just so accustomed to reverencing the Eucharist they don’t think about what it is that‘s missing.
Today, that missing component is back, back in the tabernacle, back with the disciples who themselves are back fishing were many of them started. Now the Lord lets them and us know that, while he has fulfilled the Father’s plan, the mission has not completed. The Lord has made them and us, as he promised, “Fishers of men”. He directs us and we cast a net that is full of fish.
Knowing we need strength for such a difficult task he feeds us with his own body in the Eucharist – he says “Come, have breakfast.” The scripture story has one additional piece of symbolism for us after that invitation – the disciples, the ones he called and who had been walking with him for three long years, they were there and they too were afraid of the task that beaconed to them.
Today as we again pray in thanksgiving that “He is Risen!” we also ask God for the strength to carry on the work to which, like the disciples on the shore of Galilee, we are called. May his Holy Spirit guide us and His Body strengthen us.
Pax
Please Pray for Esther.
[1] After Links to Readings Expire
[2] The picture used today is “St. Peter Preaching” by Masolino da Panicale, 1426-27
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