Daily Readings - Fri Apr 06 2018

First Reading - Acts 4.1-12

¹But while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the magistrate of the temple and the Sadducees overwhelmed them²being grieved that they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection from the dead³And they laid hands on them, and they placed them under guard until the next day. For it was now evening⁴But many of those who had heard the word believed. And the number of men became five thousand⁵And it happened on the next day that their leaders and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem⁶including Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and as many as were of the priestly family⁷And stationing them in the middle, they questioned them: "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?⁸Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Leaders of the people and elders, listen⁹If we today are judged by a good deed done to an infirm man, by which he has been made whole¹⁰let it be known to all of you and to all of the people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, by him, this man stands before you, healthy¹¹He is the stone, which was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner¹²And there is no salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which it is necessary for us to be saved.

Gospel - John 21.1-14

John

Chapter 21

¹After this, Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. And he manifested himself in this way²These were together: Simon Peter and Thomas, who is called the Twin, and Nathanael, who was from Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples³Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "And we are going with you." And they went and climbed into the ship. And in that night, they caught nothing⁴But when morning arrived, Jesus stood on the shore. Yet the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus⁵Then Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any food?" They answered him, "No.⁶He said to them, "Cast the net to the right side of the ship, and you will find some." Therefore, they cast it out, and then they were not able to draw it in, because of the multitude of fish⁷Therefore, the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Simon Peter, when he had heard that it was the Lord, wrapped his tunic around himself, (for he was naked) and he cast himself into the sea⁸Then the other disciples arrived in a boat, (for they were not far from the land, only about two hundred cubits) dragging the net with the fish⁹Then, when they climbed down to the land they saw burning coals prepared, and fish already placed above them, and bread¹⁰Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just now caught.¹¹Simon Peter climbed up and drew in the net to land: full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn¹²Jesus said to them, "Approach and dine." And not one of them sitting down to eat dared to ask him, "Who are you?" For they knew that it was the Lord¹³And Jesus approached, and he took bread, and he gave it to them, and similarly with the fish¹⁴This was now the third time that Jesus was manifested to his disciples, after he had resurrected from the dead

Sermon

The readings today remind us of the power of faith and the transformative presence of Jesus in our lives. In the first reading from Acts, Peter and John stand courageously before the religious leaders, refusing to be silenced in their proclamation of the Gospel. Despite the threats and opposition, they boldly declare that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ, the cornerstone rejected by the builders. This passage highlights the early Christian community's unwavering commitment to spreading the message of salvation, even in the face of persecution. It also underscores the idea that true authority comes not from human power but from God. In the Gospel, we see a different kind of transformation. Jesus appears to his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, where they had been fishing all night without success. At Jesus' command, they cast their nets once more and haul in an abundance of fish. This miraculous catch symbolizes the disciples' return to faith and their readiness to follow Jesus' guidance. The scene by the fire, where Jesus shares bread and fish with them, evokes a sense of intimacy and renewal. It reminds us that even after moments of doubt or failure, Jesus is always present, offering us strength and direction. These readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Like Peter and John, we are called to stand firm in our faith, even when faced with challenges or opposition. Like the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, we are reminded to trust in God's providence and to be open to the unexpected ways He works in our lives. Jesus' presence in both readings—whether in the courage of the apostles or in the abundance of the catch—teaches us that He is always with us, guiding us and empowering us to live as His disciples. Let us, therefore, embrace His call to trust, obey, and share the Good News with the world.