Faith Daily | 22 April 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 502

Lord of all life and power,

who, through the mighty resurrection of your Son,

overcame the old order of sin and death

to make all things new in him:

grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you

in Jesus Christ,

may reign with him in glory;

to whom with you and the Holy Spirit

be praise, honour and thanksgiving, now and for all eternity.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: John 21: 1-14

After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3Simon Peter said to them, ‘I am going fishing.’ They said to him, ‘We will go with you.’ They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5Jesus said to them, ‘Children, you have no fish, have you?’ They answered him, ‘No.’ 6He said to them, ‘Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. 8But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.

9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ 11So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Leanne Hallas

In today's reading we hear of the third time in which the newly resurrected Jesus appears to his disciples.

He very cleverly chooses a situation that must surely be very familiar to his fishermen disciples. As he had done at the beginning of his ministry the carpenter's son successfully guides his professional fishermen disciples where to throw their nets in order to make an unexpected but spectacularly successful catch so as to fill their previously empty nets.

The familiarity of the situation makes the disciples certain that they are again in the presence of their beloved Messiah. They can have no doubts. He has not forsaken them. He has come to them, yet again, even in their simplest, everyday situations.

Even Simon Peter, who has been struggling mentally with his unworthiness and wallowing in his self-doubt since he denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed, knows that he is in the presence of his Lord.

Not only has Jesus replicated their amazing catch, he again shares a simple meal with them as he had on the night of the Passover prior to his crucifixion. How reassuring it must have been for the disciples to know that their beloved Lord was still amongst them. That he was still guiding them in their daily lives and that he was reminding them of his body and blood within the meal that would continue to symbolise for them his presence and his promise to be with them always.

As Christians, these appearances of the resurrected Christ to his disciples assures us that Jesus is ever present, even in our most common daily pursuits. Like the original disciples the 'breaking of the bread' reminds and assures us that Jesus is truly risen, that he remains with us always and he will come again.

FINAL PRAYER APBA Evening of Easter Day p504

O God,

whose presence is veiled from our eyes:

grant that when we do not recognize you

our hearts may burn within us,

and when feeling is lost

we may cling in faith to your word

and to the breaking of the bread;

through Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen