Daily Readings - Sun May 04 2025

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

In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of faithfulness, worship, and service, each offering profound insights into our walk with God. The first reading from Acts 5:28-32, 40b-41, portrays the apostles facing persecution yet rejoicing in their suffering for Christ's name. This highlights the resilience of faith amidst adversity, reminding us that standing firm in our beliefs, even when challenged, is a testament to our commitment to God. Revelation 5:11-14 shifts our gaze to a celestial scene where all creation worships the Lamb, Jesus, who was slain. This emphasizes the universal recognition of Jesus' sacrifice, inviting us to join in this eternal chorus of praise, acknowledging His worthiness in every aspect of our lives. In John 21:1-19, Jesus appears to the disciples post-resurrection, restoring Peter through a humble act of service and commissioning him to care for His flock. This narrative underscores the transformative power of grace and the call to serve others, mirroring our own journeys of being called, restored, and sent forth. These readings collectively remind us to stand firm in faith despite challenges, to worship with all creation, and to embrace our role in serving others. May we, like Peter, accept God's grace and fulfill our mission to tend His flock with love and dedication.