Homily from Sunday May 01st 2022: 3rd Sunday of Easter
Today the Gospel shows that Jesus asks for, and then eats some baked fish. All this touching, and eating has but one purpose: to remind us, that when Jesus rose from the dead, his new life included the body he had all along.
But the scriptures aren’t meant to let us know only about Jesus’ risen body. They’re meant to let us know that this is what our risen bodies will be like, too!
Too many people mistakenly believe that when we die, we become like Angels, or when we die and go to heaven we will just be spiritual beings.
Our faith tells us something completely different. Our faith tells us that without my body, I’m not me. This is the reason for these resurrection stories, because each time the apostles experience Jesus – it is a verification of how and what the resurrection will be like.
Besides His peace and His presence, there is also His purpose. The Lord sent the Apostles to be witnesses of this new say of life, of this new truth that entered the universe, that in the middle of this old world thee is a new creation at work and growing. The Lord sends us to witness to this same truth.
Each celebration of the Eucharist reminds of our identity as disciples, that’s what Jesus did for the apostles at the seashore. For Peter, love of Christ would mean caring for the whole flock. And Peter will do exactly that for the rest of his life.
We are called to care for a portion of that flock, a parish, a family, a spouse, an aging parent and so on. That’s the mission Jesus gave Peter on the seashore, (Show Me).
Each one of us is called to give witness, may be not at the risk of our life, but at the risk of time, energy and being there for others.
We don’t know what awaits us in the future, but here, at the Eucharist we are prepared to give witness to Christ.
In this seashore appearance of Christ, we have the meal, the mission, the call to witness.
Jesus shows himself again, as he has done so many times – to re-orient the disciples understanding of what they are to be doing as God’s disciples – to be fishers of people.
That means us! All the Gospel readings are meant for us, not somebody else.
Kommentare