Daily Readings - Fri Apr 17 2020
Acts
1But while they were speaking to the people, the priests and the magistrate of the temple and the Sadducees overwhelmed them2being grieved that they were teaching the people and announcing in Jesus the resurrection from the dead3And they laid hands on them, and they placed them under guard until the next day. For it was now evening4But many of those who had heard the word believed. And the number of men became five thousand5And it happened on the next day that their leaders and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem6including Annas, the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John and Alexander, and as many as were of the priestly family7And stationing them in the middle, they questioned them: "By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Leaders of the people and elders, listen9If we today are judged by a good deed done to an infirm man, by which he has been made whole10let it be known to all of you and to all of the people of Israel, that in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God has raised from the dead, by him, this man stands before you, healthy11He is the stone, which was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner12And there is no salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven given to men, by which it is necessary for us to be saved.
John
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 dead
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful moments of faith and trust in God's providence. In the first reading from Acts, Peter and John stand before the Sanhedrin, courageously proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus. Despite the opposition they face, they remain steadfast, trusting in the power of the Gospel. Peter’s bold declaration that salvation comes only through Jesus underscores the central message of Christianity. This scene reminds us that our faith must be unshakable, even in the face of adversity.
In the Gospel, we find the disciples struggling to catch fish on the Sea of Tiberias. Jesus appears to them, guiding them to cast their nets once more, resulting in an abundant catch. This miraculous event not only reinforces their faith but also symbolizes the abundance of grace God offers when we trust in His guidance. The scene by the fire, where Jesus shares a meal with His disciples, invites us to experience His presence in the ordinary moments of life. Just as the disciples recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread, we too can encounter Him in our daily experiences.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan, even when the path seems uncertain. Like the apostles, we may face challenges in living out our faith, but we must remember that God’s power works through us. Like the disciples, we may feel discouraged or ineffective, but Jesus is always with us, ready to guide us and provide for our needs. Let us approach life with the same courage and openness to God’s presence, trusting that He will lead us to abundant life.