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April
25, 2004 - 3rd Sunday of Easter (C)
A.
Encountering the Risen Lord
B. Do You Love Me?
Readings:
Acts 5: 27-32, 40-41;
Ps
30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13; Rev
5:11-14; Jn 21:1-19
Commentaries
/ Gospel Reflections from:
Sunday's
Into Silence • Daily Gospel
• Preaching
the Word
Greeting
(See Second Reading)
To
the One who is sitting on the throne
and to the Lamb
be all praise, honor, glory and power.
May the risen Lord be with you all. R/ And also with you.
Introduction
by the Celebrant
A.
Encountering the Risen Lord
Perhaps
we envy the apostles for having seen and experienced Jesus after he
had risen from the dead. There is no reason to be envious of them: If
we have faith, we too experience him as risen, alive, present, and sharing
our life. If we have faith we know he is there when we suffer mishaps
and failures or when we rejoice. If we have faith, we know Jesus is
there when we strengthen and encourage one another. If we have faith,
we know Jesus is with us when we share a meal of friendship, and, especially
and deeply, when we eat together from the table of the eucharist. Lift
up your heads and be happy: the risen Lord is with us in life.
B.
Do You Love Me?
If
Jesus would ask you today: "How close am I to you? Do you really
love me?" what answer could you give him? There have certainly
been times when we offended and betrayed him by our sins. I hope that
you still dare to answer: "Jesus, notwithstanding my weakness and
my occasional cowardice, I still want to say that I believe in you and
that I love you. I know you keep loving me and I want to keep loving
you."
Penitential
Act
A.
Encountering the Risen Lord
When
we sin, we act as if we want
to keep the Lord out of our life.
Let us ask him to forgive us.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you walk by our side
when we suffer and struggle,
but often we do not recognize you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, we encounter you
when we encourage the sick and disheartened,
but often we are not aware it is you:
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are present
when we share our joy and friendship at meals
and when you set before us the food of the eucharist:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy on us, Lord,
forgive us our sins and restore our joy.
Walk by our side and lead us
to the happiness of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
B.
Do You Love Me?
Indeed,
the Lord keeps forgiving us
and we ask him to restore us fully in his love.
(PAUSE)
Lord Jesus, you bring us the joy of forgiveness.
I want to love you for your mercy.
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Jesus Christ, you have given us life.
I thank you for it and I love you.
Christ, have mercy. R/ Christ, have mercy.
Lord Jesus, you are our companion in life.
Stay with me, for I love you:
Lord, have mercy. R/ Lord, have mercy.
Have mercy and forgive us, Lord,
and make us grow in love of you and people.
Lead us to the joy of everlasting life. R/ Amen.
Opening
Prayer
A.
Encountering the Risen Lord
Let
us pray to the Father
to give us enough faith and love
to recognize Jesus present in our life
(PAUSE)
God our Father,
how different and how much richer our life would be
if we were more aware of the presence
of your risen Son Jesus among us.
Give us enough love and faith to see him
inspiring and guiding our community
on the road of compassion and justice.
Make us feel his presence
when we are toiling and struggling as if in vain.
Make us recognize him as a guest
in our homes and at our family meals.
Make us fully aware that he is among us
when we meet for prayer and the eucharist.
For then we will be strong and joyful
through Jesus Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
B.
Do You Love Me?
Let
us pray that our life
may be a response to God's love
(PAUSE)
God, source of all love
you have made your love visible to us
in the life, death and message
of your Son and our brother Jesus Christ.
May all of our life be a visible statement
that we love you in return.
Make us echo your love
by caring for our brothers and sisters
with a love freely given,
even when it is not answered.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. R/ Amen.
Scripture
Readings
First
Reading Introduction: We Bear Witness That Jesus
Is Our Guide and Savior
No threats from the powerful
can silence a Church that bears witness to the risen Lord. Like the apostles,
we can count on the strength of the Holy Spirit.
First
Reading: Acts 5:27b-32, 40b-41
The guards brought
the disciples in the Temple and the Council and the High Priest began
to questioned them, "We gave you strict orders not to preach such
a Savior; but you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend
charging us with the killing of this man." To this Peter and the
apostles replied, "Better for us to obey God rather than any human
authority!
The God of our ancestors raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him
on a wooden post. God set him at his right hand as Leader and Savior,
to grant repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses
to all these things, as well as the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey him."
They called in the apostles and had them whipped, and ordered them not
to speak again of Jesus Savior. Then they set them free.
The apostles went out from the Council rejoicing that they were considered
worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of the Name.
Responsorial
Psalm: Ps 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13
R.
(2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Or:
R. Alleluia.
I will
extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing
praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear,
O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Or:
R. Alleluia.
Second
Reading Introduction: All Glory to the Lamb That
Was Sacrificed
The apostle John encourages
his persecuted Christians with a vision from heaven. There he sees Jesus
in his glory. Though Jesus was slain, he is alive and glorious. Those
brought to life by him share in his risen life and victory.
Second
Reading: Rev 5:11-14
I, John, I went
on looking; I heard the noise of a multitude of angels gathered around
the throne, the living creatures and the elders, numbering millions
of millions, crying out with a loud voice:
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive
power and riches, wisdom and strength,
honor, glory and praise.
Then I heard the voice of the whole universe, heaven, earth, sea and
the place of the dead; every creature cried out:
To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb
be praise, honor, glory and power for ever and ever.
And the four living creatures said, Amen, while the elders bowed down
and worshiped.
Gospel
Introduction: It Is the Lord!
The apostles were toiling, apparently
without success. They did not recognize the Lord's presence. But he was
really with them, as he is with us, to give us strength and hope.
Gospel
Reading: Jn 21:1-19 or 21:1-14
Jesus revealed
himself to the disciples by the Lake of Tiberias. He appeared to them
in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas who was called the Twin, Nathanael
of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples were
together; and Simon Peter said to them, "I'm going fishing."
They replied, "We will come with you" and they went out and
got into the boat. But they caught nothing that night.
When day had already broken, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the
disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus called them, "Children,
have you anything to eat?" They answered, "Nothing."
Then he said to them, "Throw the net on the right side of the boat
and you will find some." When they had lowered the net, they were
not able to pull it in because of the great number of fish.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the Lord!"
At these words, "It's the Lord," Simon Peter put on his clothes,
for he was stripped for work, and jumped into the water. The other disciples
came in the boat dragging the net full of fish; they were not far from
land, about a hundred meters.
When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it, and some
bread. Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you've just
caught." So Simon Peter climbed into the boat and pulled the net
to shore. It was full of big fish-one hundred and fifty-three-but, in
spite of this, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast," and not one
of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?" for they knew
it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them,
and he did the same with the fish.
This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples
after rising from the dead.
After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon,
son of John, do you love me more than these?" He answered, "Yes,
Lord, you know that I love you." And Jesus said, "Feed my
lambs."
A second time Jesus said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love
me?" And Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love
you." Jesus said to him, "Look after my sheep." And a
third time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, "Do you
love me?" and he said, "Lord, you know everything; you know
that I love you."
Jesus then said, "Feed my sheep. Truly, I say to you, when you
were young you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when
you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will put a
belt around you and lead you where you do not wish to go."
Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to
glorify God. And he added, "Follow me."
Commentary
THREE
times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" People like to
connect this with Peter's triple denial of Jesus: he was being given
a chance to undo the damage. In addition, something else is happening
in the original language, something that doesn't appear in English.
There are several words for "love" in Greek. "Philein"
means to love someone as a friend; "agapan" means to love
someone in the distinctive New Testament sense: to love them unselfishly,
creatively, in the way that Jesus loved. This kind of love is mysteriously
deeper and wider even than friendship, because it doesn't depend on
like-mindedness as friendship does; it can even reach out to include
an enemy. Now, Jesus first asked Peter, "Agapas me?" (Do
you love me with this kind of love?) Peter replies, "Philo se".
(I love you as a friend.) The second time around, the words are the
same. But the third time, Jesus asks him, "Phileis me?"
And Peter answers as before, "Philo se".
There is something
touching about this. Peter wasn't yet able to love Jesus in that heroic
way; he could love him only as the friend he had known for three years.
But the third time around, Jesus steps down, as it were, to accept
what Peter was able to offer at that time.
Can we put it
this way: all forms of love and friendship are capable of advancing
gradually towards to "agapè''. How do we go along that
road? By doing the best we can.
Read
also Sundays Into Silence: From
Competition to Contemplation
General
Intercessions
A.
Encountering the Risen Lord
Let
us pray to our Lord Jesus Christ for all those who bear witness to him
in their life and apostolate, and let us say: R/ Risen Lord, hear
our prayer.
- Lord,
your apostles worked all night without result. Sustain the courage of
all your apostles today who toil without apparent success. And so we
pray: R/ Risen Lord, hear our prayer.
- Lord, the apostles did not recognize you. Often, we too do not see
that you are there. Make us aware that you are with us. And so we pray:
R/ Risen Lord, hear our prayer.
- Lord, today the net of the Church is filling again with peoples from
all over the world. Let that net not tear but let it accommodate all,
we pray to you, Lord: R/ Risen Lord, hear our prayer.
- Lord, also today in many places your messengers are warned not to
speak in your name. May your witnesses obey you rather than people and
preach your word without fear, we pray: R/ Lord: Risen Lord, hear
our prayer.
- Lord, your disciples are persecuted also today, they are put into
prison and tortured. Give them the courage to be faithful and to bear
their sufferings with joy, we pray : R/ Risen Lord, hear our prayer.
- Lord, may our Christian communities together with the whole of creation
give you glory, honor and praise, we pray: R/ Risen Lord, hear our
prayer.
Lord,
it is good to be here with you. You are our strength and our joy, now
and for ever. R/ Amen.
B.
Do You Love Me?
Jesus
asks us, God's people today: "Do you love me?" What shall
we answer him? We say: R/ Lord, let your love grow in us.
- Lord,
you ask your Church today: Do you love me? Let all God's people answer
you: Yes, Lord, we love you, for we nourish you in the hungry and the
thirsty; we visit you in the sick and in prisoners. We say: R/ Lord,
let your love grow in us.
-
Lord, you ask all Christians today: Do you love me? Let them answer
you: Yes, Lord, we love you, for we try to seek unity in you to become
your one flock with you as our one shepherd. And so we pray: R/ Lord,
let your love grow in us.
-
Lord, you ask parents today: Do you love me. Let them answer, Yes, Lord,
we love you, for we let our children recognize you in our care and loving
concern. And so we say: R/ Lord, let your love grow in us.
-
Lord, you ask those who suffer: Do you love me? Let them answer: Yes,
Lord, we love you, for we recognize you in good people who help us in
your name. And so we say: R/ Lord, let your love grow in us.
-
Lord, you ask our communities today: Do you love me? Make us answer
wholeheartedly: Yes, Lord, we love you, for we are open and welcoming
you in the least among us, we try our best to become one heart and soul.
And so we pray: R/ Lord, let your love grow in us.
Lord
Jesus, how happy we would be if we could do all we have just prayed
for! Give us the power and the courage to love you very deeply, in yourself
and in one another, now and for ever. R. Amen.
Prayer
over the Gifts
God,
loving Father,
you put good words on our tongue
and you fill our hands with good gifts;
you entrust even your Son to us
and you place him into our hands.
Through him, then, and together with him,
let us become to the world
your word and your gift, your sign of hope,
and make us capable of bearing witness
to your love for people,
today and tomorrow and for ever. R/ Amen.
Introduction
to the Eucharistic Prayer
With
joyful hearts we praise the Father for Jesus' continuous presence in
his Church as a whole, in its leaders and in all of us.
Invitation
to the Lord's Prayer
With
the fullest trust we pray
to our Father in heaven
that he will always be with us
through his risen Son Jesus Christ, and we say: R/ Our Father...
Deliver
Us
Deliver
us, Lord, from every evil
and grant us peace in our day.
Strengthen us with the power of your Son,
the Lamb that was slain for us,
that our faith may remain firm
in persecution, contradiction and trials,
as we look forward with joyful hope
for the coming in glory
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. R/ For the kingdom...
Invitation
to Communion
This
is Jesus the Lord,
who says to us, his disciples today:
Come and eat.
He takes bread and gives it to us.
Happy are we that the Lord is here. R/ Lord, I am not worthy...
Prayer
after Communion
Loving
Father,
we are very happy to thank you
for letting us encounter your Son Jesus
here in this eucharist.
Let the words in which we recognize his voice
keep resounding in our heart and life.
Now that we have shared his table together,
may his bread of life give us the strength
to bear witness to his name
and to encourage our brothers and sisters.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. R/ Amen.
Blessing
It
is good that we have become more aware
how the risen Lord is with us
not only in this eucharist
but also in the life of every day.
Let us learn to see the signs of his presence
in the people we meet,
in the good they do to us
and all we do for one another.
May this bring you great joy
and may almighty God bless you all:
the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. R/ Amen.
Go
in the joy of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God.
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