20250504 DECLARATION OF UNDYING LOVE
04 May 2025, Sunday, 3rd Week of Easter
First reading |
Acts 5:27-32,40-41 |
We are witnesses to all this: we and the Holy Spirit
The high priest demanded an explanation of the Apostles. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’ They warned the apostles not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 29(30):2,4-6,11-13 |
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
or
Alleluia!
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me
and have not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead,
restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
or
Alleluia!
Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him,
give thanks to his holy name.
His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life.
At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn.
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord listened and had pity.
The Lord came to my help.
For me you have changed my mourning into dancing:
O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.
I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
or
Alleluia!
Second reading |
Apocalypse 5:11-14 |
The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given riches and power
In my vision, I, John, heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, ‘The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.’ Then I heard all the living things in creation – everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea, crying, ‘To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever.’ And the four animals said, ‘Amen’; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Lk24:32 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Lord Jesus, explain the Scriptures to us.
Make our hearts burn within us as you talk to us.
Alleluia!
Or: |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Christ has risen: he who created all things,
and has granted his mercy to men.
Alleluia!
Gospel | John 21:1-19 |
Jesus stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish
Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.
It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.
As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.
After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’
In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’
DECLARATION OF UNDYING LOVE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Acts 5:27-32.40-41; Ps 30; Apoc 5:11-14; Jn 21:1-19 (or >< 21:1-14)]
In the gospel, the apostles followed Peter out fishing. “Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.” That they caught nothing is symbolic of their utter failure in discipleship, and also with regard to their future. They had great hopes in Jesus. They had left everything to follow Him, although not always with noble motives. Their hopes, like the rest of the disciples, were for glory and power when Jesus came to His kingdom. (Mt 20:23) But all their hopes were dashed with the death of Jesus. There was nothing else for them to do but to return to their old trade.
Even then, guilt and disappointment followed them. They felt sorry that they had a part to play in their master’s death. They had previously said that they would even die with Him. But when He was arrested, they all ran away. Peter denied Jesus three times, not before the Sanhedrin but in front of some servants at the garden. (Lk 22:31-34) Indeed, when things are fine, we can pledge undying and unconditional love for each other. This is what we do with our friends and when taking marriage vows. But when things become difficult, we find that we are not able to live out our pledge of love.
So, everything is in darkness for them. They went fishing in the night and saw nothing. However, “it was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus.” The dawn signifies the arrival of the Risen Lord because He is the morning star. Jesus has come to enlighten us and show us the way to life. Without Jesus as our Light, we walk and work in darkness. And the result is that we live a fruitless life. Indeed, without the Lord, we will also be fruitless in works of love. We need the Lord’s assistance. So “Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So, they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in.”
But the truth about life is that man lacks the capacity to give undying love to God or to his fellowmen unless God shows him the way. And indeed, the gospel shows that it is Christ who reveals His undying love for His apostles who betrayed Him. Like the Prodigal Father, Jesus went out to meet them. He did not wait for the apostles to return and find Him to apologize. In fact, there was no apology from any one of them. They were either too ashamed even to mention their betrayal or afraid of Jesus’ reprimand. But Jesus showed by His action that they were forgiven.
Jesus invited them to renew their fellowship with Him in the Eucharistic celebration. “Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish.” Bread was a reminder of the Last Supper with His apostles. Fish is a Greek symbol of the title of our Lord, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.” It was used by the early Christians to indicate their Christian identity. Indeed, at every Eucharist, the Lord reiterates His undying love for us when His sacrifice on the cross is renewed for us to be present in that one historical event so that the same saving grace is given to us. The Eucharist brings about the forgiveness of sins, strengthens our bond with Him and with our brothers and sisters.
In the same vein, Jesus showed the power of the Eucharist to heal our brokenness and wounded heart. He took the occasion to allow St Peter to reaffirm his love for Him. At every Eucharist, we are called to renew our love for the Lord. St Peter had earlier denied Jesus three times. The presence of the charcoal fire with fish cooking on it must have brought back the shameful memories of St Peter who still was unable to forgive himself for betraying not just the master but his own fellow apostles because he was supposed to be the leader among the Twelve, as Jesus had appointed him to be the rock on which He would build His Church. (Mt 16:18f) But he had lost his authority because of his denial of our Lord. He was no longer fit to lead the Twelve. He was humbled by his weakness.
However, Jesus’ forgiveness is real. To forgive means to forget. It means restoration of one’s former dignity, just as in the case of the Prodigal Son where the father gave him back his ring, sandals and garment. So, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to reclaim his love for Him before He restored his office as the leader among the Twelve. Three times, the Lord questioned Peter and three times, he answered almost identically, “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.” However, in Greek, Jesus used the word, “Agape” the first two times and it was because Peter’s insistence on the use of the word, “Philo” that Jesus used “Philo” the third time. Jesus was asking for unconditional and undying love from Peter but Peter had become more realistic that he might not be able to live up to the demands of unconditional and absolute love. His failure had woken him up to his inadequacy. He had become humbler and less presumptuous of His love for the Lord.
This recognition of his weakness helped Peter not to depend on himself and his strength but to find strength from the Lord. At the same time, it taught him compassion and sympathy for those who reject or betray the Lord. As the Lord said to him, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Lk 22:31f) Indeed, Jesus knew that love must grow from strength to strength. We might not be able to love Him or our brothers and sisters all at once, in an unconditional way. But with God’s grace and over time, we will be able to love Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. The Lord is patient with us and with Peter, who eventually was ready to die for Him. “Follow me” the Lord said. By that He meant to the cross and crucifixion.
Eventually, Peter would follow Jesus and give his “agape” love to Him and to the Church. In today’s second reading, Peter found courage to stand up in front of the distinguished and learned members of Sanhedrin to defend his teaching about our Lord. He was not afraid of them even when they were flogged and warned not to use His name. Instead, Peter and the apostles said, “Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right-hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” Tradition tells us that he was executed at the end of his life in Rome.
Truly, the love of Peter for the Lord was not just a love based on eros, sensual feeling and attraction, or philos, one of admiration and respect but of agape, a love that is unconditional and undying, expressed in caring for the sheep and lamb of our Lord. Hence, after his confession of love, Jesus restored the leadership of Peter and said to him, “Feed my lamb. Look after my sheep. Feed my sheep.” Peter’s love had matured and he was now willing to die for the Lord, to follow Him to the cross and most of all, to die as the shepherd of Christ in caring for His sheep and lamb. St Peter truly became the great shepherd of the Church of Christ, His Vicar in caring for the Church. We too must walk in his footsteps and also accept our weaknesses, and pray for His grace to grow in the perfection of love and service for our Lord expressed in humble service to the spread of the gospel and to His sheep.
At this juncture of the Church, we too must pray earnestly for the help of the Holy Spirit to guide the cardinals in choosing the right pope to lead the Church of Christ. Let us pray for a holy, compassionate, inclusive and missionary pope, one who is gentle with sinners but firm and clear in doctrines so that the Church will remain united walking in the path of our Lord. Let us pray for Peter’s successor so that he can lead the Church in truth and love.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment