HOMILY OF 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER — YEAR C

HOMILY OF 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER — YEAR C

HOMILY THEME: Obedience to God rather than Men

BY: Fr. Celestine Muonwe

Acts 5:27-32.40-41, Rev 5:11-14, John 21:1-19

When we posit actions contrary to what God wants of us, we obey ourselves and the agent of our fallen nature, the devil. In the first reading, the apostles refused to obey the Jewish leaders who asked them to stop preaching the risen Christ. Obeying God rather than men demands a constant attention to the Holy Spirit; a constant reading and meditation on the word of God, especially the New Testament. When the words and the life of Jesus becomes ingrained in us, when we partake of His Body and Blood, we grow everyday onto Him, and getting used to Him and His words, our criteria of thinking and discernment changes positively.

ALSO RECOMMENDED: HOMILY OF 3RD SUNDAY OF EASTER 

It was this attention and obedience to the Holy Spirit, that gave the apostles the courage to bear witness to Christ, and to stand on the truth of their message even amidst the threat by the Chief priests who warned them to desist from preaching in Christ’s name and accusing them of being behind the death of Christ. Instead of asking God to forgive them in repentance for their role in Christ’s death, the religious leaders also plan to kill the apostles. This shows us the depth of man’s wickedness, and closure to the truth.

In the second reading, St. John tells us of his vision of the heavenly liturgy, the manner and the rite for the worshiped of God in heaven. This shows us that what we do on earth is an imitation of the great liturgy of heaven, which is made up of the four living creatures, the elders and myriads of angels who worship God day and night in praise and worship. This calls us to take the Mass very seriously, because it is not only humans that offer this great worship to God.

St. John tells us that every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea offer this worship. This means that even the demons and infernal spirits are not exempt from this worship, no matter how painful it is to them. St. Alphonsus de Ligouri tells us that during the sacrifice of the Mass, uncountable number of angel surround the altar in worship and adoration to their Lord and Creator.

John, in the Gospel of today, gives us the third account of revelation of the Lord to His disciples. This event took place by the Sea of Tiberias in Galilee. The apostles have probably run out of supplies of food and money and decided to go back to their former occupation led by Peter. However, they tried all night to catch fish in the sea to no avail. However, at the approach of dawn, a stranger at the beach greeted them and asked them to cast the net at the right side of the boat for a catch. They obeyed and caught a large quantity of fish, that they were unable to haul it ashore. It was John who recognised Jesus and told the rest it was Him, and as usual the impetuous Peter jumped into the sea to meet the Lord. At the shore, Jesus had already prepared the breakfast for them with a charcoal of fire and bread. Jesus took the bread and gave it to them, alongside the fish. After dinner he inquired of Peter his love and faithfulness to Him and asked him to feed His lambs and sheep.

Application to Life

The disciples failed to understand that they have been called to a particular mission of saving souls, the mission of catching men and not fish. Though they had great skills in the act of fishing, they could not succeed in this again, because their mission is a higher vocation geared towards the salvation of souls. Those called by God should concentrate on their calling, and not let themselves be distracted by the inordinate desires for comfort and the greed for material things. If they remain faithful to God, their basic needs will be provided to them by the Lord in the ministry, as He supplied those of the apostles, though not their wants.

When ministers of God, and Christians in general, find themselves in worldliness, that is in sin and lust, they will fail to recognise Jesus, just as the apostles failed to recognise Him in spite of His presence among them. It takes a certain closeness to Jesus in prayer and actions, and a detachment from creatures for us to fully recognise Him in all our endeavours in life. When we carry out our works in truth and love, and preach Christ in our actions, we easily recognise Jesus in our endeavours. John’s love for Jesus, and his life of faith led him to recognise Him faster than the other apostles: “It is the Lord,” he said. The Bible describes John as the disciple that Jesus loved. Why did Jesus love John? It is said that he alone, among the twelve was a virgin. But, what is sure is that the greater our love for the Lord, the greater He loves us, comes closer to us, and reveals Himself to us.

When we are called by God, we should not lose hope when the Lord appears silent, just as the disciples quickly went fishing, abandoning their mission in the seeming absence of Jesus. When things appear difficult and we seem not to understand the nature of the struggle, we should not lose hope, or go back to our old ways of life, just as many of youths have abandoned the spiritual life for paganism and life of ease and pleasure outside of God.

Hence, like the apostles who remained steadfast in the first reading, vowing to obey God, rather than men, we should live steadfastly in obedience to God even amidst hardship and the crosses of our daily lives. We should not be tempted to look back once we have commenced the spiritual life like Lot’s wife did and turned into a heap of salt. Instead, we should remain firm and patient in suffering, the Lord will arrive at the dawning of the day, and we shall yield abundant fruits of spiritual goods.

The intervention of Jesus in the catching of a great quantity of fish shows us that the Lord is also concerned in our various undertakings and daily interests and relationships. Jesus is concerned in your business, in your work, family issues and wants you to involve Him in them, call on Him for assistance, and do not put Him away. Many people today, try to divorce God and moral principles from the social life, politics, commerce, industry in what is today generally referred to as secularism. God should be involved, He who is Truth and Love, must be made the centre of our existence and activities.

This implies therefore, that part of the reasons why we fail most often is because we do not bring in the Lord in our daily endeavours. Hence, just like the apostles, we labour all day and catch nothing. Jesus must be allowed to direct our paths and our ways; we should give Jesus the chance to lead us, whether we are involved in the ministry or in the worldly affairs. It is Jesus that would guide and direct us to the place where we can make a great catch, where we can achieve success and progress in Christ’s own terms of success, and not in our own terms. He tells the apostles: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”

A young entrepreneur once told me that if he were to be honest in his business, he would be out of the market. This belief leads him to cut corners, through deception of customers in order to remain afloat. Such success is not in the terms of Jesus, even if we tend to increase our wealth wrongly, they are instead failures, because we shall catch nothing of God’s love and holiness in our work.

When we are involved in the ministry of the word, or in any life endeavour, and it seems that things are not moving on well as should, we should not give up. Our hope should rest ever in the providence of God, after we must have done our best and the right things we needed to do, since God does not work in a vacuum. God uses what we are able to present to Him, blesses them and gives us the increase. The apostles provided the boat, the net and laboured to get the increase and did not give up till the dawn. Hence, in our daily struggles, let us endeavour to wait for the dawn, the dawn is the time when the Lord will intervene whenever we involve Him in His own time. He will surely arrive, the dawn will surely come on our pains and sorrows, empty toils and petitions and good desires.

It is crucial to also note the persistent servitude and slavery of the Lord for us, for His sheep. He, the Master, always takes the lowest part. He was again ready to wash the dirty feet of His apostles, by serving them food; He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many, (Mt. 20:28). He prepared breakfast for them. Therefore, His love for them, His sacrifice, His death for them was not enough, He desires always to be our servant. This eternal example of the Master should be our daily task, for imitation and example.

Further, Jesus wanted Simon Peter as the leader of the Church to replicate this type of servant leadership and love for the flock of God that would be entrusted into his hands. Jesus understands that for Peter and the apostles to be able to carry out their ministry and succeed in their calling, that love for Jesus is essential and can never be replaced by love for any other created being. It is precisely in close friendship with, and love for Jesus, that the apostles and in general, all Christians would be able to impart the message of the Gospel to the world.

Hence, after breakfast, He asked Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” When Peter affirmed in the positive, the Lord asked him: “Feed my lambs.” How would Peter feed the lambs of Jesus, the innocent Christians who struggle to live up to the teachings of Christ? By giving them the sound food of the word of God and the Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Christ. These two liturgies are essential for the growth of the Church and the apostles must take them very seriously.

In the second enquiry of Jesus after Peter’s love for Him, the Lord asks Peter to tend His sheep. To tend implies taking care of the sick ones, the weak ones in body and soul alike. Unlike the obedient and innocent lambs, the Lord makes reference here to those Christians who are not yet strong in the faith, who are still on the low radars of perfection, and those suffering social injustices that are capable of leading them away from the faith. Peter is to patiently tend them with care and love for the sake of his love for Jesus.

One may ask: Why did Jesus have to repeat this inquiry to Peter three good times? Biblical scholars say that it is in response to Peter’s tripartite denial of Jesus during His trial before the Sanhedrin of the Jews. Peter must have to affirm three times of his love for Jesus and his readiness to strengthen his brothers in the faith, just as Jesus told him and also prayed for him: “But I have prayed for you Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers”(Lk.22:32)

Prayer
Lord Jesus, you have shown us through the empty labour of apostles that you alone is capable of satisfying our thirst and leading us to a good pasture, please, help us to ever recognise this truth and put you first in all things, and at all times, amen.

FOR A SIMILAR HOMILY, CLICK HERE >>>>>

Dear friends in Christ, Your support for the past 12years has kept us going. We ask you to support us with your donations to enable us to upset our “annual bills”. Our priests are willing to offer Holy Masses for your Private Intentions. May you Click on “Next”, or the “Donate” button to get started. God bless you!!!