3rd Sunday of Easter; Year C 2016

DOCTRINE AND FAITH 
(Acts 5, 27-32.40-41; Rev 5,11-14; John 21, 1-19: 3rd  Sunday of Easter; Year C  2016)

The gospel story narrates the third encounter of the Risen Lord with his disciples, this time, as they were fishing in the sea of Tiberias. As things stand at that moment, the reality of the resurrection was gradually dawning on them. On a certain day, they fished all night and caught nothing, but when Jesus said to them: Throw the net out to starboard and you will find something, they got so much fish that they had difficulty in hauling the net in. This is when the Apostle John intuited: It is the Lord! Peter then dived into the sea to swim to meet him at the sea shore. But earlier in the story, the narrator had remarked: It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. But why was it so? Was it because of the cloudiness of the early morning or because of the distance of the sea from the shore? Probably neither of them. But, most likely what happened to Mary Magdalene on the resurrection day was also the case here. She could not recognize Jesus only by mere looking at Him. Jesus had to call her name before she was able to recognize him. The meaning of this is that, though, the features of the body of the Risen Lord was identical with the features of the body of Jesus who suffered and died, there was a great difference between them. The Risen Christ appeared new to the eyes that saw him, therefore, there was the need for new eyes to recognize him. There is need for the new eyes of faith to see and recognize him. Encounter with the Risen Lord was not a continuation of the former experience before the passion; there was need to establish new relationship in faith with him. Here at the sea of Tiberias, the disciples needed only to hear his command to cast the net to starboard which they did and had a great catch. With the apostles, doubt about the Risen Lord was waning and there, at the shore, it could not have been any other person than the Risen Lord himself. Any doubt about his identity was vanishing as they, readily, participated in the breakfast he invited them to and in which he handed some bread and fish to them. The gesture was becoming very familiar and reminiscent. The narrator added: None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, “who are you?”; they knew quite well it was the Lord.

    The direct experiences of the apostles of the reality of the resurrection of Christ explain certain things. We note, first of all, the decisive and courageous attitude of the apostles before the leaders of the people and religious authorities as we read in today’s first reading. The prohibition to teach in the name of Jesus did not stop the activities of the apostles. Rather, it gave them further opportunity to make solemn proclamation of the mystery and message of the paschal mystery as we hear Peter and John say: … it was God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. They went on to explain: By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. Peter ended his speech by noting:We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. The disciples were witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, whom they encountered, saw, listened to and ate with after his resurrection. Another consequence of the Risen Jesus’ several encounters with the disciples after his resurrection was their unperturbed serenity during persecutions and their joy to suffer shame for the love of Christ. One can attribute the joy and serenity of the apostles as gifts of the Holy Spirit, but they are also the direct positive result of their absolute certainty of the resurrection of Christ. The apostles encountered the Risen Christ and there were change in their lives, actions and in their discipleship of Jesus. We encountered the Risen Christ through faith (blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe). Has this any positive implication in our lives as Christians, who are to be witnesses to his resurrection, in the society where we live?

    There are two lessons from today’s first reading which we need to internalize and allow them to influence our actions. The first is that we have to obey God rather than man. This was the affirmation of Peter before the leaders of the people who prohibited from preaching in the name of Jesus. Peter says in effect: God’s will is supreme. In case of conflict between the orders and directives given by men and the command of God, there should not be any hesitation on the part of the faithful. He should obey the command of God. However, this should not be used as pretence to disobey any just directive of a legitimate and constituted civil authority. The next lesson of today's first reading is the example of the apostles who took on the courage to profess our faith without inferiority complex and human respect. We are often ashamed to show that we are Catholics and do not even speak up when the church is maligned and injustice perpetuated before us. Does this show us as matured Catholics? Are we in this way, witnesses to the Risen Christ? We recommend a change in attitude, a fundamental conversion to God and the Risen Christ; and at the same time allowing the Holy Spirit to direct our Christian living. Do we shy away from witnessing to Christ as good Catholic Christians on account of suffering? If so, then it is very unfortunate. For we affirm that suffering on account of our faith, being object of derision or persecution in witnessing to the Christian faith and life are signs of authentic rapport with Christ and a guarantee of future glory as Peter assures us: If we truly participate in the suffering of Christ, we shall participate in his glory (Rom 8,17). We should, therefore, in today’s Eucharistic celebration, ask the Risen Christ to give us the courage like the apostles to witness to him without fear or favour.  Happy Sunday! +John I. Okoye