Octave Of Easter
05th April 2024 (Friday)
Psalter: Proper
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Acts 4:1-12
In those days: John and Peter were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Psalm 8:2ab and 5, 6-7a, 7b-9 (R. 2ab)
R/. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth! Or: Alleluia.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/.This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : John 21:1-14
At that time: Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. 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. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on 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 of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Easter Friday
Guidelines: If we are really touched by the risen Lord, then we cannot remain the same. We will be convinced and committed. Our life too will not be futile but productive
1. The death of Jesus cast a dull shadow over the apostles. A kind of gloom overshadowed them. They became like travellers without a sense of direction and destination. They lost their focus. That is why they turn back to their original profession of fishing. They who were round the clock engaged for the kingdom, they who had no time even to eat, now do not know what to do. So they fall back to their first condition.
2. But how strange it is! They fail totally. They catch nothing even toiling the whole night. All their long experience and expertise would not help them. But Jesus enters the scene. He directs them to cast the net on the right side of the boat. As they obey and cast, they have a huge catch with a net full of fish.
3. This is what happens when the Lord enters and intervenes in our life situations. He would turn scarcity into abundance and futility into effectivity. He would turn sadness into joy. He would change fear into courage. The apostles encounter and experience the risen Lord. Thereafter, nothing could resist or stop them.
4. The arrest and the custody by the authorities would not frighten their spirits. They would firmly announce their faith in the Lord that there is salvation in no one else; and also point to their culpability in “rejecting Jesus, the cornerstone”
Practice: Often because of the prick of conscience many try to arrest and suppress true faith and witness to the truth like the Jewish authorities. But nothing can resist the power of God
