3rd Sunday of Easter(Cycle C, Year I)

Community Word:Followers of the Risen Christ faithfully live His word.

Theme: We are faithful to Christ’s word when we seek His will and follow His command.

Promise: “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” (Jn 21:6)

Reflection:
Why is it so difficult to be a disciple of Jesus? Today’s readings shed light on what it takes to be His follower. In the first reading, the drastic change in Peter’s attitude toward the Sanhedrin becomes evident. Not too long ago before a servant-maid, he denied knowing Jesus three times for fear of being arrested like his Master. This time around, we see a totally different Peter, who fearlessly proclaims the divinity of Christ before the same men responsible for condemning and crucifying Jesus like a common criminal.

We are not unlike Peter who believes that Jesus is God and that our life here on earth is a passing journey towards heaven, which is our final destination. In order to attain eternal life, we obey the Lord’s command to bring the Good News and proclaim the Kingdom of God to those who are in darkness. But what could set us apart from Peter is his total courage in defending his faith in Christ, regardless of the imminent risk and danger.

As followers of Jesus, we need to look into our hearts and see if we have the same tenacity and obstinacy as Peter did. As we face contemporary moral issues such as birth control, same sex marriage, divorce and the like, do we have the courage to stand up to our faith and defend it? There are countless martyrs who gave up their lives in defense of their faith and they too were ordinary men and women, no different from us. We are not being asked to die like the martyrs. What we are asked is to preach Jesus Christ by being living witnesses of His love and grace that we ourselves may have experienced.

Easter is a good time to renew our life and re-establish our purpose on earth and our reason for answering the call to evangelization. We are reminded to do what Peter was asked by the Lord, that is, “feed my lambs, tend my sheep, and feed my sheep” (cf. Jn 21:15 – 17). This is our theme for the week: We are faithful to Christ’s word when we seek His will and follow His command. Like Peter, we are challenged by the Lord that if we truly love Him, we must care for His people. We should concretize our care for others by sincerely addressing their needs and concerns, whether it be material, emotional or spiritual needs. We must remember to share our time, talent and treasure with others, to our Church and community so that in sharing and true caring, our love for the Lord is genuinely manifested. Now is a good time to probe our hearts and assess how well we have obeyed the Lord’s command to care for His people.

Jesus taught the disciples through Peter the art of catching people. It was not enough for the apostles to love Jesus who is all-powerful, all-merciful, all-good and all-loving. Loving Jesus meant loving the people He cared and died for, no matter what trials and obstacles come our way. Through this arduous journey of discipleship, whenever we get discouraged, the Lord promises, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something,”(Jn 21:6).
Prayer:
Lord, we confess that it is not easy to be Your disciple. There are times when we get discouraged as we go about fulfilling our mission of proclaiming Your kingdom. But Your resurrection has given us hope and we know that as You commanded us to care for Your people, You are always with us. Give us the grace to fearlessly defend our faith and serve You by faithfully relying on Your word of Truth. Grant us fervor and fortitude to show love and compassion to Your people in the last, the least and the lost. In Your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Reflection Guide Questions:
1. In what way can you respond to the command of Jesus to “feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep? Who are those whom the Lord entrusted to you to care?
2. What has prevented you from prioritizing the calling as a “shepherd” in community, whether as a community leader, sharer, teacher, LSS shepherd, class shepherd, or circle shepherd?

This Week’s Daily Mass Reading Guide:
May 5, 2019 (Sun)-Acts 5:27-32, 40-41/Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12, 13/Rv 5:11-14/Jn 21:1-19
May 6, 2019 (Mon)-Acts 6:8-15/Ps 119:23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30/Jn 6:22-29
May 7, 2019 (Tue)- Acts 7:51-8:1/Ps 31:3, 4, 6 -8, 17, 21/Jn 6:30-35
May 8, 2019 (Wed)-Acts 8:1-8/Ps 66:1-3, 4, 5, 6, 7/Jn 6:32-40
May 9, 2019 (Thu)-Acts 8:16-40/Ps 66:8, 9, 16, 17, 20/Jn 6:44-51
May 10,2019 (Fri)- Acts 9:1-20/Ps 117:1, 2/Jn 6:52-59
May 11, 2019 (Sat)- Acts 9:31-42/Ps 116:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17/Jn 6:60-69

“Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ. Read your Bible daily!”