Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter Lectionary: 301
Reading 1 Acts 25:13b-21 King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea
on a visit to Festus.
Since they spent several days there,
Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying,
"There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
I answered them that it was not Roman practice
to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers
and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
So when they came together here, I made no delay;
the next day I took my seat on the tribunal
and ordered the man to be brought in.
His accusers stood around him,
but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion
and about a certain Jesus who had died
but who Paul claimed was alive.
Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy,
I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem
and there stand trial on these charges.
And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody
for the Emperor's decision,
I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar." Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab R. (19a) The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,
you mighty in strength, who do his bidding.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Jn 14:26 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 21:15-19 After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
He said to him the third time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
"Do you love me?" and he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go."
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me." | Daily Meditation: John 21:15-19 After Jesus had . . . eaten breakfast with them . . . (John 21:15) The disciples had just finished a sunrise breakfast with Jesus. Now it was time for the risen Lord to take Peter aside for a private chat. The apostle must have wondered what the Lord would say to him. His memory of that awful day when he denied Jesus three times could not have been far from his mind. And the charcoal fire used to grill the fish was just another bitter reminder of it (John 18:17-18). Yet Jesus was not interested in rehashing Peter's failures. He had another purpose in mind: he wanted to cleanse Peter's guilty conscience. So after asking him three times "Do you love me?"—once for every time Peter denied him—the Lord invited him to feed his sheep (John 21:15, 16, 17). Jesus not only forgave Peter; he also affirmed his calling as an apostle and leader of the Church. What a blessing that early morning meeting must have been for Peter! Sometimes we approach God with lingering regrets about our own shortcomings or past failings. These memories and guilty feelings can keep us distant from the Lord and prevent us from fully trusting in his mercy and his promises. Even after receiving absolution in Confession, we might still feel disheartened when we recall our past. Or we might be tempted to think that we can never really be worthy of following Jesus or of helping others to know him. Jesus moved Peter from clinging to sins of the past to receiving mercy in the present, and he wants to do the same for us. His mercy knows no bounds. Not only that, but he longs to pour it out on us! In fact, once we've repented and received his forgiveness, the only reason to remember our shameful moments is so that we can recall his compassion and mercy. Christ died and rose so that you might be forgiven—completely! Let him take you aside—perhaps early each morning—and assure you of his unconditional love and mercy for you. The more deeply you experience this mercy, the more equipped you will be to answer the Lord's call to "feed my sheep." "Jesus, may I trust in your mercy all the days of my life!" Acts 25:13-21
Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20 |  try to hear it read by AI | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | In the Holy Scripture we hear today:
"He said to him the third time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time,
"Do you love me?" and he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go......." end quote. | Our Lord always asks us that question and it should haunt us and invite us into a more intimate relationship with Him, when He asks you:
"Do You Love Me?"
And then He says to our first Pope St. Peter, "Feed my sheep". And ever since then we are fed the Holy Eucharist every single day for over 2,000 years in Holy Mass, He feeds us Himself, the body of Christ to the Body of Christ, from light to light, to connect us for a brighter world.
Do you love me?
Then do what I say. Do you love me?
Lord, why do you keep asking me! It can cause one to doubt to be asked so many times; you'd start sinking as you are trying to walk on the water towards our Lord, like Simon Peter our first Pope did when our Lord Jesus asked Him to walk towards Him.
Peter sank. We all fail. But so long as we make a really true effort, He will be there to catch us, in our shortcomings, in our downfalls, in our windfalls, when we are crestfallen, when we are sinking, when we are drowning.
Have you ever been saved from drowning? How would you know how it even feels?
I remember I went with some cousins whitewater rafting in class 5 rapids at the highest peak in the canyons of Colorado. I remember at one point, the boat tipped and my cousin fell from the high side and took me down into the water. I was caught under the boat and they couldn't get me out. I was feeling huge rocks and could hear them tossing under my feet, and I couldn't get around the boat, they said it was turning and I kept going back and forth under it, but I kept trying, just thinking how cold this was and how do I get out, remembering what they were saying to hold the side of the boat and pull yourself up. But suddenly, I popped out of the water, not knowing how until later, the raft guide had pulled me out with the end of his paddle and right back into the boat. Everyone was shocked, and I was just happy to be back on the boat.
I say my adventures in life and faith here, so that we may learn what it means to trust not just in ourselves, but in our Savior.
I want you to learn that you are not venturing alone.
Our Lord is more than a shapeshifter, He can appear as anyone He pleases in your life, for He is the Holy Spirit, and speaks and moves in ways unknown.
Today God asks, "do you love me?".
God teaches us that if we love Him, we will do what He says.
And today...He is asking us to love Him with all our lives, our souls, with everything we got, including all your loved ones, your world, your finances, trust Him with everything. He isn't the one failing. It is us that need to get back on the boat. And then meet Him at breakfast on the shore. You won't recognize Him, but you will just KNOW it is Him.
Trust me.
I Know!!! Pray for us today and tomorrow, as we continue in the Prison retreat, for our Savior, for our hearts to be truly opened to Him, so that we may be truly freed! |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
1 Peter 2:9 [1 Peter 2] 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
