GOSPEL POWER l APRIL 22, 2022 

Friday within the Octave  of Easter

Gospel: Jn 21:1-14  

1 Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias;  and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were  Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,  the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon 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. 4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples  did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you  have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them,  “Cast the net to 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 there  were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It  is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put  on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the  other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they  were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. 9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there,  with fish 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, a hundred fifty-three of them;  and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12Jesus said to  them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to  ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13Jesus  came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with  the fish. 14This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 

The disciples’ fishing expedition symbolizes the Church’s  mission. Undertaken on their own initiative, it is doome T he disciples’ fishing expedition symbolizes the Church’s  mission. Undertaken on their own initiative, it is doomed  to turn into a futile exercise, for without the Lord they can do  nothing. Mission cannot proceed without a mandate. It is only when  the Lord directs it and when those directed obey his word that it  can produce the desired result — an amazing catch. Interestingly, the  disciples are unable to haul the fish into the boat because of its large  number. Seven able-bodied fishermen do not have enough strength  for the job. But when the risen Lord issues the command to “bring  some of the fish,” Peter single-handedly drags the net ashore. The  word of the Lord makes the difference, and obedience to it endows  the disciple with power to accomplish the task on hand. Certainly, “it  is the Lord,” and woe to us if we forget! 

Lord Jesus, keep us always aware that success in the mission comes only  from obeying your word, for without you, we can accomplish nothing. Amen