Daily Readings - Sun May 05 2019

²⁸and said: "We strongly order you not to teach in this name. For behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and you wish to bring the blood of this man upon us.²⁹But Peter and the Apostles responded by saying: "It is necessary to obey God, more so than men³⁰The God of our fathers has raised up Jesus, whom you put to death by hanging him on a tree³¹It is he whom God has exalted at his right hand as Ruler and Savior, so as to offer repentance and the remission of sins to Israel³²And we are witnesses of these things, with the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to all who are obedient to him.⁴⁰And calling in the Apostles, having beaten them, they warned them not to speak at all in the name of Jesus. And they dismissed them⁴¹And indeed, they went forth from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were considered worthy to suffer insult on behalf of the name of Jesus

Revelation

Chapter 5

¹¹And I saw, and I heard the voice of many Angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders, (and their number was thousands of thousands¹²saying with a great voice: "The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.¹³And every creature that is in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and all that is within the sea: I heard them all saying: "To the One sitting upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing, and honor, and glory, and authority, forever and ever.¹⁴And the four living creatures were saying, "Amen." And the twenty-four elders fell down on their faces, and they adored the One who lives forever and ever

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 dead¹⁵Then, when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs.¹⁶He said to him again: "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs.¹⁷He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was very grieved that he had asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" And so he said to him: "Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my sheep¹⁸Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked wherever you wanted. But when you are older, you will extend your hands, and another shall gird you and lead you where you do not want to go.¹⁹Now he said this to signify by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me.

Sermon

Dear friends in Christ, Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the profound themes of faith, persecution, divine glory, and the call to serve. In the First Reading from Acts, we witness the unwavering courage of Peter and the Apostles as they face persecution for preaching the name of Jesus. Despite being beaten and warned, they rejoice in their suffering, recognizing it as a privilege to endure for the sake of the Gospel. This passage reminds us that our faith is not about comfort or convenience but about obedience to God’s will, even when it leads to hardship. The Second Reading from Revelation shifts our gaze to the heavenly realm, where the Lamb who was slain is glorified and adored by all creation. This majestic hymn of praise underscores the central mystery of our faith: Jesus, the crucified and risen Lord, is worthy of all honor and worship. The scene in Revelation invites us to lift our eyes beyond the trials of this world and to behold the eternal glory of the Lamb who has triumphed over sin and death. In the Gospel, we encounter the risen Jesus on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias. This post-resurrection appearance is both a moment of reunion and a commissioning. Jesus’ conversation with Peter is particularly significant. Three times, Jesus asks Peter if he loves him, and three times, Peter affirms his love. Each time, Jesus responds with a call to action: “Feed my lambs,” “Tend my sheep,” “Feed my sheep.” This exchange is not just about Peter’s personal devotion but about his mission to care for the flock of Christ. It is a powerful reminder that our love for Jesus must be expressed in concrete acts of service and care for others. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to challenges and setbacks in our own lives? Do we, like the Apostles, rejoice in suffering for the sake of the Gospel? Do we, like the heavenly host, worship Jesus with the fullness of our hearts? And do we, like Peter, allow our love for Jesus to translate into tangible acts of service and compassion? May these readings inspire us to live with courage, worship with abandon, and serve with love. Let us follow Jesus, even when the path is uncertain, trusting that He will guide us and empower us to bear witness to His name in a world that so desperately needs His light and love. Amen.