Sunday, May 1
Third Sunday of Easter
“I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”
Reflection
We can’t miss the subtle detail in our Gospel of the meal shared with Jesus was prepared around “a charcoal fire.” This recalls the same setting of Peter’s threefold denial in the courtyard of the high priest where he rejected Jesus and his identity as his disciple. It’s the only other time we have this detail of being around a charcoal fire. As a result, in the intimate moment following their meal, taking him aside, Jesus refers to Peter as Simon—his name before becoming Jesus’ disciple and ‘rock.’ By asking of Peter’s love, Jesus calls to mind the fervent boast that Peter made during the Passion narrative when he assured Jesus that he was willing to die for him. Rather than condemn Peter or walk away from this relationship, Jesus restores its life. Jesus does the same for us.
This beautiful exchange of mercy for Peter is a good reminder for us that not only are we called to discipleship of Jesus, but a personal love for Jesus, too. This is what must be at the heart of all discipleship and leadership in the Church: personal love for Jesus. This is the condition necessary for a shepherd, and it is only this level of love and devotion that one could ever even begin to hope to imitate or embody Jesus’ laying down of his life for his sheep. This is supreme love.
Pieced together, we can see the moment in our first reading which chronologically would have followed long after this moment of reconciliation on the shore. Peter, who in fear and in doubt, denied any connection with the name of Jesus, has been strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit and by his encounter with Mercy itself/Resurrected Life in Jesus. Now with Peter’s lead, he and the other disciples have no fear and actually rejoice to be found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of Jesus’ name. Quite a turn around. Faith now drives out all fear.
Have you encountered this transformative Resurrected Life? Like really encountered it? Have you been so touched by it that you know your life will never be the same again? Peter and nearly all disciples ever since have had to struggle through this exact space of faith. If you yearn for this encounter, begin in prayer by asking the Lord to profoundly reveal himself to you and to make his love for you felt. The disciples were given faith that enabled them to recognize Jesus in the meal he provided them along the shore in today’s Gospel. Similarly, the eyes of faith allow us to see the risen Jesus present in the Eucharist under the appearances of bread and wine. But this is pure gift and pure grace—by his generosity, may the Lord renew in us the ability to confidently recognize his presence in and around us, and above all, in his Sacraments which provide us eternal life.
Peace,
Fr. Foley
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