Third Sunday of Easter
Call to worship
Easter calls us to remain faithful to Christ, who constantly nourishes us, continually believes in us and who always calls us to recognize God’s gifts within us. We are faithful to Jesus, who is always ready to forgive us and who welcomes us into joyful living.
- To the point: The gospel hints at two failures: the fishermen coming back with no fish, and Peter’s denial of Jesus before his death. Yet these failures became occasions for Jesus’ gift of abundance: a large catch of fish, and a fuller love that would “glorify God.” Faithful discipleship is not measured by absence of failure, but by openness to obeying new commands from Jesus, recognition of God’s abundant gifts, and willingness to grow into new life. Today, we celebrate Easter openness and abundance.
- Connecting the Gospel (John 21:1-19) to the first reading: Strict orders from the Sanhedrin did not deter the disciples from obeying “God rather than men.” Faithful to Jesus’ command to follow him, they even rejoiced that they were able to “suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.”
- Connecting the Gospel to experience: Sometimes we can be so discouraged by our failure to follow Jesus faithfully that we tend to give up trying. Remembering that Jesus never gives up on us can instill in us the courage to stay the course of discipleship.
Centering prayers
The Gospel
(John 21: 1-19)
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
Fish without number. Nets too heavy for lifting now.
You gave more than they could ever hold.
And John saw with his eyes of love
that the man on the shore was Jesus!
We, too, want to see with the eyes of love
and be weighed down with
the miraculous catch of care.
“Lord, you know that we love you.”
Let us feed your lambs.
The First Reading
(Acts 5: 27-32, 40b-41)
So they left rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
“Worthy to suffer dishonor.”
Jesus, let us agree to your suffering.
Then caress it boldly
and be thrilled to speak it,
with our lives: your love.
The Second Reading
(Revelation 5: 11-14)
I heard everything in the universe cry out.
Oh, loving Father, please help us
end war in Ukraine,
fix the environment, mend
all injustice, feed all the hungry
and care for all children everywhere,
so that everything in heaven and on Earth,
under the Earth and in the sea, everything in the cosmos cry out:
“Glory and honor and might and blessing be to the Lamb.”
Copyright © 2022, Anne M. Osdieck
Music for reflection