Daily Readings - Fri Apr 17 2020
Acts
1And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them,2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.3And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.4But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand.5On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem,6with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family.7And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"8Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,9if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed,10let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by him this man is standing before you well.11This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.12And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
John
1After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.2Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.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.4Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.5Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?" They answered him, "No."6He said to them, "Cast the net on 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 of the quantity of fish.7That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea.8The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.9When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out 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, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn.12Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast." Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" They knew it was the Lord.13Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.14This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised 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.