Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Luke 9:11b–17. It is the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand people. On the surface this passage seems to be just a miracle about the multiplication of loaves and fishes. However, it is really much more than that. This passage is a profound insight into the early Church’s experience and understanding of the Eucharist. Notice how Jesus first teaches the crowd about the Kingdom of God and then feeds them. This progression is the movement from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. These insights have implications for us as disciples and offer various points for our reflection so that we can enter more deeply into a sacred encounter with Jesus in every Mass. One of the first points to note is the contrast between how Jesus responds to the crowd and how the disciples respond to them. Jesus welcomes the crowd, teaches them, and cares for their needs. He cures them. The disciples, on the other hand, wanted to send the crowd away and let them care for themselves. Our Lord corrects the disciples’ errant desire and cares for the crowds Himself. This is one of the first lessons of this passage and invites us to reflect on how we respond to those in need around us. Jesus saw people in need as an opportunity for ministry. The disciples saw people in need as a burden on their time and resources. As a result, the disciples wanted to avoid and dismiss the crowd. The Acts of the Apostles teaches us that charitable outreach for those in need was a distinguishing quality of the early Church (see the relief efforts in Acts 4:32–37, 6:1–6, and 11:27–30). The first lesson of this passage, then, is that disciples should welcome those who come to them, regardless of their need, and not turn them away. For the Church to reflect the hospitality of Jesus, we must learn to see the needs of others as an opportunity for ministry rather than a burden to be avoided or dismissed. The disciples reveal the source of their errant thinking when they speak the reason for their desire to dismiss the crowds. They say, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people” (see Lk 9:13). The disciples mistakenly think that what they need is an abundance of money and resources in order to be successful in the ministry of the Gospel. However, what they really need is the faith to rely on the authority and power of Jesus to work through them. As a sign to convince the twelve disciples to trust in God’s power, the Gospel tells us they picked up twelve baskets of fragments —one abundant basket for each disciple. The message of this teaching is clear: disciples may be instruments of God but we are not the source of God’s blessings. The ministry of the Church depends primarily on God and not on the resources we muster from ourselves. When disciples understand themselves as instruments rather than the source of all good gifts, then disciples will become more generous toward others and more reliant on God’s providential grace. It is tempting to think that the success of our ministry efforts today depends on having the right building, the best decorations and so forth but that is not really the case. The success of the Church’s ministry depends on God. It always has and it always will. What God can do through us is infinitely greater than what we can do by ourselves. This teaching is especially true when it comes to the Eucharist. We do not make the Eucharist; the Eucharist is the gift of God that makes us! While we strive to offer the Lord the best of our first fruits, the quality of our gift never determines the quality of God’s gift. We are only the dispensers of God’s grace but not its origin. If we trust in our own resources and our own ability to minister to the needs of our world, then we will succumb to the fear of insufficiency. It is only when we learn to trust in the power of God working through us that we can courageously and generously respond to the overwhelming needs of the world around us. How can we today be tempted to turn away those in need because we see them as burdens rather than opportunities for ministry? How can we be tempted to rely on our own limited resources rather than faithfully trust in God’s eternal greatness working through us? How can a faith community fall into the trap of believing that the effectiveness of their ministry relies only on their physical resources rather than on the Lord’s power and grace? How does a community pray differently depending upon where they place their trust? The disciples were reluctant to feed the crowd because of their limited resources. Their response shows us how fear can be an obstacle for discipleship.  What other fears can prevent disciples from being courageous instruments of God’s work in the world today? The next thing to notice is how Jesus takes, blesses, breaks, and gives the five loaves and two fish to the crowds and it becomes more than enough for them. First, we need to realize that these four verbs are very significant and are only used in this combination in the context of Eucharistic scenes (see Mk 14:22–23, Lk 22:19, 24:30, 1 Cor 11:23–24). Anytime that Jesus uses these four verbs, the reader automatically knows that our Lord is celebrating the Eucharist. This insight should change the way we read this passage because Luke is trying to tell us what should be happening during our celebration of the Eucharist as well. We have already observed the instruction to welcome those in need and to trust in God’s power to minister through human agency. Luke wants us to learn something essential about the Eucharist and so he includes a very important additional detail. This brings us to the second point: there is symbolism in the giving of fish. The image of a fish was an early Christian symbol used to discretely communicate faith in Jesus and to identify Christians to one another. Each letter of the Greek word for “FISH” (IXTHUS) stood for a word: I=Iesus (Jesus), X=Xristos (Christ), TH=Theon (God), U=Uios (Son of), S=Soter (Savior). Thus, IXTHUS (fish) was an acronym and spelled out the following statement of Christian faith: Jesus Christ Son of God Savior. When Jesus gave the bread and fish, He was giving the crowds Himself! Literally, He was giving them, in the bread, the presence of “Jesus Christ Son of God Savior.”  This is one of the profound ways in which the early Christians of the first century professed their belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The use of the four primary verbs (“Take, Bless, Break, and Give”) as well as the use of IXTHUS are intentionally used in this text so as to help us realize that the miracle of the Eucharist we celebrate in every Mass is meant to affect our discipleship and change the way we relate to one another. When has the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist made a difference in the way you approach the Mass? How has the Eucharist been a catalyst of conversion for you in how you relate to others? What are symbols that we use today (like the FISH) that help people to realize the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist? How do you think Jesus wants to change your faith community at every Mass?  By having the crowds sit down in groups of fifty, scripture scholars see an allusion to Christian communities of the first century. When Christians of the early Church met, they gathered in people’s homes to celebrate the Eucharist. This gathering was known as the house church or the Domus Ecclesia. As a result of the use of private residences for communal worship, the size of a Christian Community in the first century was governed by the size of the individual person’s house. When a community became too large for one house then they started a second community. The groups of fifty in this Gospel passage may represent all the Christian communities (parishes) of the world separated by distance but united in one communion of faith and being fed by Jesus. This is a beautiful image of the universal Church truly in communion with God and one another through the Eucharist! No matter where we are, we are always part of the five thousand represented in this passage. We may only see our own group of fifty persons (or five-hundred persons) but we are part of a larger Church nonetheless. Jesus is always the one who teaches us (Liturgy of the Word) and feeds us (Liturgy of the Eucharist). The priests are to dispense the gifts of God, but they are not the origin of those gifts — Jesus is. This is a powerful understanding of the essential identity of the Church today and explains why we always need to look beyond the boundaries of an individual faith community to identify and remind ourselves of our deeper communion in the universal Church. It is also the source and motivation of our charity for communities, whether they be next door or around the world. How have you experienced the universal nature of the Church in the context of the Eucharist? What harms the universal communion of the Church today? Jesus gives the bread to the disciples to give to the crowd, but it’s not their gift; it’s Jesus’ gift. Sometimes we can lose sight of that truth and put too much focus on the priest who celebrates the Eucharist rather than on Jesus who is present in the Eucharist. At what point does an attraction of faith in the person of the priest become a distraction from faith (that is when people’s focus becomes distorted)? After the people were fed, we are then told that they were satisfied. To describe them as satisfied is more than a statement of their physical fill of food. It is really a statement of their deepest spiritual hunger finally being satiated. Luke carefully crafted his account so as to emphasize the significance of Jesus’ gift and the power of the Eucharist in the life of a Christian disciple. Nowhere else in Luke’s Gospel are we ever told that anyone was actually satisfied except in this passage. It is the satisfaction that Jesus proclaimed “blessed” in the Lucan beatitudes (see Lk 6:21 where the same word is used to describe this satisfaction) and it is reminiscent of the hungry who are filled with good things from Mary’s Magnificat (see Lk 1:53). It should be noted that Luke does use the same word for satisfaction to describe people who long for such an experience in two parables. The first is the parable of the Prodigal Son where we are told the younger son desired to be satisfied when he was alienated from his father (see Lk 15:16). The second is the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus where we are told that Lazarus, a beggar, desired to be satisfied with the scraps that fell from the Rich Man’s table (see Lk 16:21). Both of these parables obviously speak about more than just physical or relational hungers and provide additional insights into how our spiritual hunger can be truly fed by God alone. Given the unique description and the literary connection to the Lucan beatitudes, we know with certainty that Luke is speaking about more than just the physical satisfaction of hunger. He is referring to that deep longing of our hearts that only God can fill. Jesus, and only Jesus, was able to satisfy that hunger in the multiplication of the loaves and fishes through the gift of the Eucharist. This ability of God to satisfy our deepest longings and yearnings was expressed beautifully by Saint Augustine when he said, “You have formed us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”  Our hearts are made for God and we always become frustrated and dissatisfied when we try to fill them with other things. As disciples, Jesus wants to satisfy us just as He satisfied the crowds that day so long ago. However, we often seek to fill our deepest hungers with something less than God. The list of such false fulfilments may include professional accomplishments, entertainment, human relationships, lustful thoughts and actions, positions, possessions, recognition, hedonism, materialism, the internet, or any other variety of pursuits. However, these things are never able to satisfy our deepest hunger and for that reason, we inevitably remain unsatisfied and empty when we try to use them as a substitute for God. All of these other things become nothing but spiritual junk food. Just think of how much time and energy we spend chasing junk food as opposed to how much time and energy we dedicate to seeking God.  When have you experienced a profound spiritual satisfaction in the Eucharist? How does the image of spiritual junk food describe some of the false pursuits for fulfillment that people seek today?  What are other such spiritual junk foods? How can a person’s disappointment due to enduring dissatisfaction with spiritual junk food become a motivation for more authentic spiritual growth? What can a faith community do to help people experience fully the spiritual satisfaction Jesus wants to offer us in the Mass? How does the quote from Saint Augustine help to explain and encourage your faith journey? After the people were satisfied with the Eucharist, we are told that the disciples collected twelve baskets of fragments. The word used for fragments (Greek: klasmaton) is the same word used in other first century Christian writings to refer to the fragments (remnants) of the Eucharist. Today, we gather the fragments, or remaining pieces of the Eucharist, and place them in the Tabernacle. Like the early Church, we treasure the gift of the Eucharist as an enduring gift of Jesus. We reserve the Eucharist in the Tabernacle for purposes of personal prayer and for the distribution of Communion to the sick and home-bound. In all of these actions, we are showing our respect for the enduring presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. In addition to the reservation of the remaining Eucharist in the tabernacle, we also show our reverence for any fragments by placing special cloths on the altar called “Corporals” to preserve any possible pieces of the Host or drops of the Precious Blood that may accidentally fall. What signs of respect and reverence for the Eucharist have inspired your faith? How do you show reverence for the presence of Jesus (IXTHUS) in the Tabernacle? When has the presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle been a focus of your prayer? Have you ever been distracted because of someone’s lack of reverence for the Eucharist or for the presence of Jesus in the Tabernacle?  The following prayers are provided as spiritual aids to assist you in your preparation for celebrating the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. I adore You, Lord and Creator, hidden in the Most Blessed Sacrament. I adore You for all the works of Your hands, that reveal to me so much wisdom, goodness and mercy, O Lord. You have spread so much beauty over the earth and it tells me about Your beauty, even though these beautiful things are but a faint reflection of You, incomprehensible Beauty. And although You have hidden Yourself and concealed Your beauty, my eye, enlightened by faith, reaches You and my soul recognizes its Creator, its Highest Good, and my heart is completely immersed in prayer of adoration. – Saint Maria Faustina Kostka Most Sacred, most loving heart of Jesus, you are concealed in the Holy Eucharist and you bear for us still. Now as then you say, “With desire I have desired.”  I worship you with my best love and awe, with fervent affection, with my most subdued, most resolved will. For a while, you take up your abode within me. Make my heart beat with your heart. Purify me of all that is earthly – all that is proud and sensual. Of all perversity and all disorder. Solely fill it with you that neither the events of the day nor the circumstances of time may have power to ruffle it but that in your love and your fear it may have peace. – Blessed John Henry Newman

^[1]   St Augustine, Confessions, Book I, Chap. 1

He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and he healed those who needed to be cured. As the day was drawing to a close, the Twelve approached him and said, “Dismiss the crowd so that they can go to the surrounding villages and farms and find lodging and provisions; for we are in a deserted place here.” He said to them, “Give them some food yourselves.” They replied, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have, unless we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” Now the men there numbered about five thousand. Then he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of [about] fifty.” They did so and made them all sit down. Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.

Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of John 16:12–15. In this passage, Jesus informs the disciples that He has much more to tell them but that they cannot bear it now. The promised gift of the Holy Spirit will be the ongoing source of revelation and understanding for disciples.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

Our Scripture passage comes from the Gospel of John 20:19–23. It is the scene of the Risen Christ sending the Apostles and “breathing” on them. It is an appropriate passage to reflect on as we celebrate the moment when the first disciples were enlivened by the Holy Spirit and filled with enthusiasm to continue the mission of Jesus.

The word “enthusiasm” comes from the two Greek words meaning “God within” (en theos). It refers to the experience a person has when they are “filled” with the Spirit of God. In the Greek world it was originally perceived as an arbitrary invasion of God into the psyche that filled the individual with an indomitable energy. This was the way the Greeks explained divine inspiration. In the Christian faith, however, to be enthusiastic is not only to be energetic; it is to be courageous, motivated, and committed. The disciples had that experience and thus began to carry on the mission of Jesus fearlessly as His witnesses even unto death. Because of their enthusiasm, they were able to do the things that Jesus did. The gift of the Spirit transformed their fear into faith. It motivated them from being self-preserving to becoming other-serving, and it changed the mission of the Church from merely a human organization into a holy endeavor. Wow—the Spirit can transform lives and communities!

When in your life do you experience “enthusiasm” in the religious sense of being “filled with God”?

What works of faith, as in the Mission of Jesus, have you been led to do as a result of your enthusiasm? 

What fears can cause people today to be “paralyzed” in their witness of faith and dampen their enthusiasm? 

How can people fulfill their religious observances with a “self-preserving” attitude rather than an “other-serving” attitude? 

In John 19:22 we are told that Jesus “breathed on them.” That is an important statement for several reasons. First, it is a direct allusion to the action of God in Genesis 2:7 when the Lord first created humanity with an infusion of Divine Life. This connection to the first creation is reconfirmed in Ezekiel 37:9–10 and Wisdom 15:11 and speaks to the power of the Holy Spirit in the transformation of individual Christians. Jesus’ action of breathing on the disciples is a statement that a new creation is taking place in the life and mission of the Church and that humanity is regenerated by the life-giving action of the Holy Spirit. This life-giving spiritual regeneration occurs in the Sacraments through Baptism (see Jn 3:5), through the gift of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation, and in the Eucharistic banquet where Tradition tells us that if we, with faith, eat the Body of Christ, we eat “Fire and Spirit” because it is the Holy Spirit we invoke over the gifts during the consecration.^[1]

Second, the gift of the Spirit makes the community of believers, the Church, a fundamentally spiritual reality that carries out the works of God. These are not mere human efforts. When our Lord breathed on the disciples, He gave them the Spirit that could continue to mediate His Divine Presence even in His physical absence. The Church, then, is the Mystical Body of Christ in the world through which Jesus continues His ministry (See 1 Pt 2:5 for a similar understanding of the Church as a “spiritual edifice”).

Third, the gift of the Holy Spirit draws the disciples into the communion of life and love, which is the Holy Trinity. This incorporation into the Divine Mystery is manifested by the ability to know the mind of Christ and speak with a prophetic voice in our time (see Joel 3:1 [alt. 2:28], 1 Cor 2:6–16, Jn 15:26–27 and 16:12–15).

How is the prophetic ministry of the Church, that is speaking on God’s behalf so as to interpret events from God’s perspective, carried out today both in the lives of individual disciples and through the institutional body of the Church? 

What ministries in your faith community most clearly carry out the work of Christ today? 

What is a new work Christ wants to accomplish through your faith community? 

What prevents people from being able to fully receive and live the spiritual regeneration of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist? 

The Holy Spirit’s presence in Acts 2:1–11 was manifested by the ability of people to hear the message of the Gospel despite “foreign tongues” (different languages). That means the Holy Spirit is able to bring about a deep communion of faith that crosses the divisions of language and culture. As Saint Paul teaches us, when one member of the body suffers, the other members suffer with it; when one member rejoices, all the members rejoice (see 1 Cor 12:26). That is a statement of deep communion of life lived on a global scale. Sometimes, however, we can have narrow vision and become shortsighted when it comes to understanding and embracing the universal communion of the Church. When we give in to a narrow vision, we become selective and limited in our charity and concern.

When have you experienced your faith as something that unites you deeply with those whom you have never met? 

When do you most tangibly experience the “universal communion” of the Church? 

What are some of the attitudes or actions that can cause us to lose sight of the universal nature of the Church? 

How do you express your universal communion with those whom you have never met? 

Jesus sent His disciples to be witnesses to the world, and that means they were to go beyond the safe confines of their own community so that others could experience the joy and peace they themselves had received from the Lord. What parts of our world most need Christian witnesses today?

In Assisi, every year on the Feast of Pentecost, Saint Francis of Assisi used to gather with his followers to pray for the Holy Spirit to be with them and guide them. Francis believed that the power of the Holy Spirit could change the world. Through Francis, the Holy Spirit indeed did change the world. The Holy Spirit is able to transform fear into courageous faith, anxious concern into peace, alienation into reconciliation, and disciples into missionaries! That’s quite a powerful work!

When do you pray to the Holy Spirit? 

Through whom is the Holy Spirit working in a particularly powerful way to transform the Church and the world today? 

What do you feel prompted to do by the Holy Spirit in your own life of faith?

In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor 12:3b–7, 12–13), he specifies that there are many gifts given by the Holy Spirit to individuals, but that those gifts are for the benefit of everyone and not just the personal benefit of the one who receives the gift. Thus, God equips us and asks us to work together as one body (the Body of Christ) so that the ministry of the Gospel can be accomplished through the Church. Each of us is given some gift that we can use to help carry out that mission. Remember: There are no spare parts on the Body of Christ! If we are not actively engaged in the work of ministry, it is because we haven’t found our place and not because there is no place for us.

What are some of the gifts, talents, or skills with which you have been entrusted, and how can these be used for the common good and the mission of the Church? 

What gifts do we most need in the Church today to better carry out our mission? 

What gifts, talents, or skills are you still seeking to use in the service of the Gospel?

Jesus says to the disciples, “As the Father sent me, so I send you … Receive the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit is given so that we can continue the mission of Jesus in the world. Jesus was sent to make God known, and in order to do that He had to make love known (because God is love). To make love known, He died on the Cross for us in an ultimate witness of self-giving and sacrificial love for others even in the face of hatred, rejection, and persecution. The Holy Spirit empowers us to carry on the mission of making God known in our world through the same demonstration of love. Others come to know God (who is love) through us. That is why Jesus was sent—and that is the purpose for which He sends us.

Who in our time most needs to know the love of God?

How have you come to know about the love of God through the witness of someone else?

If Jesus appeared to us this Sunday and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit … as the Father has sent me so I send you,” how do you think that personal challenge of Jesus would practically affect your community and its ministries?

Take time this Sunday to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit and to be accepting and responsive to that gift when it is given.

Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.

Move in me, Holy Spirit that my work, too, may be holy.

Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy.

Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.

Saint Augustine

^[1] St Ephrem as quoted by Pope St. John Paul II, “Ecclesia de Eucharistia” in AAS 95, (17 April 2003), N. 17.

Veni, Sancte Spiritus Come, Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home Shed a ray of light divine! Come, Father of the poor! Come, source of all our store! Come, within our bosoms shine. You, of comforters the best; You, the soul’s most welcome guest; Sweet refreshment here below; In our labor, rest most sweet; Grateful coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe. O most blessed Light divine, Shine within these hearts of yours, And our inmost being fill! Where you are not, we have naught, Nothing good in deed or thought, Nothing free from taint of ill. Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour your dew; Wash the stains of guilt away: Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray. On the faithful, who adore And confess you, evermore In your sevenfold gift descend; Give them virtue’s sure reward; Give them your salvation, Lord; Give them joys that never end. Amen. Alleluia.

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of John 14:23–29. In this reading, Jesus announces His Ascension. The event of Jesus’ Ascension will be an occasion of blessing for those who do love Him and keep His word. They will receive the Holy Spirit and it will be a time of love, belief, joy, and peace. This passage has some important teachings for us as disciples who wish to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and the gifts that will accompany the Spirit’s presence.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.

Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of John 13:31–33a, 34–35. This is a significant passage in John’s Gospel in which Jesus gives His new commandment to love. It is this commandment that will define Christian disciples as people who allow the love of God to flow into the world through them and who glorify God by doing so. This reading offers several points for our reflection. This passage is focused on the theme of glory. John raises our attention to this theme by using the word glory five times in two short verses. John is trying to tell us something about what it means to glorify God as disciples. First, notice that the glory of Jesus began when Judas leaves to carry out his betrayal. This betrayal would lead to the Lord’s arrest, trial, passion, and crucifixion. That action, Jesus says, began the Hour by which the Son of Man is to be glorified. In order to understand how the death of Jesus is connected to the theme of glory, we have to remember that Jesus was sent to the world with the mission of making God known. To make God known is to reveal God’s glory. In order to make God known, however, Jesus had to make love known because God is love. In order to make love known, Jesus chose the cross as the ultimate and perfect manifestation of God’s love to the world. Only on Calvary could He show the depth of God’s love for every person, even those who put Him to death, betrayed Him, abandoned Him, denied Him, and cursed Him. The Hour of Jesus is the Hour of Calvary.  It is not a chronological hour measured by sixty minutes but the designated time when Jesus fulfills His mission. In John’s Gospel, the cross is the highlight of Jesus’ life and ministry. The love of Jesus shown on Calvary most clearly glorifies the Father. There are lots of ways in which we can try to give glory to God. Our efforts can involve verbal praise, bumper stickers, devotional areas in homes, prayer before meals, statues on our front lawn and so forth. This passage not only tells how Jesus glorified the Father but also directs us in our efforts to glorify God as well. Namely, we are called to receive fully God’s love for us and allow that love to flow through us into the world so that others will come to know the love of God because of us and be drawn to God as a result of our witness. The cross was the highlight and mission of Jesus’ life. What would you say is the mission and purpose of your life? Jesus’ mission was focused on doing the will of the Father and witnessing God’s love for the world. What motivates you to work long days and nights? The cultural world of Jesus thought that glory involved grandeur, power, riches, and prestige but Jesus teaches us that true glory is found in the love of God revealed on Calvary. What do people today think a glorious life looks like? If Jesus were walking on the earth today, what would He do in our time to make the love of God visible for every man, woman, and child in such a way that they were drawn to God by it? Next, Jesus gives us the new commandment. The commandment to love was previously given in the Old Testament (see Lev 19:18 and Dt 6:4-5). When Jesus tells His disciples to love one another, He also gives them a definition of what love means. Namely, He defines what love means by showing us His love. It is this quality, this definition, of love based on Jesus’ example that makes it a new commandment. All too often, we try to define love on our own terms. When we do so, we tend to love those who are close to us (family and friends), or those who will appreciate our love and reciprocate it, or those whom we find it easy to love. In short, we like to choose the people we love rather than loving the people God places in our lives. The love of Jesus teaches us a different criterion. Jesus loved Judas and Peter. To Judas He offered a sharing in the Last Supper even though He knew full well that he was about to betray Him. Jesus offered it to Judas anyway. To Peter, Jesus offered encouragement and friendship even though He knew that Peter was about to deny Him. Jesus offered it to Peter anyway. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples to give them an example of how to love: by being humble, sacrificial, and self-giving for those who need it, and not just for those who will appreciate it. Jesus’ love was rooted in His obedience to the Father (see Jn 14:31 and Jn 15:12-14). In this passage then, Jesus is teaching us both whom we are to love (everyone) and how we are to love. Our Lord’s example is to become the way of life which every disciple must follow. It is a love that reaches perfection on the cross of Calvary. The commandment to love sounds pleasant as long as we can define what love means, but loving as Jesus loved is difficult and challenging. Whom do you find difficult to love? Who finds it difficult to love you? When you look at a crucifix, can you see the love of God or do you only see unjust suffering? How does your own definition of love differ from the love of Jesus as expressed and defined at the Last Supper and on the Cross? How can a faith community help people to better witness the love of Jesus and follow His example of humble, self-giving, sacrificial love for others? Lastly, Jesus speaks explicitly about discipleship. He tells us that only when we love as He loved can we be a disciple. This is an important definition because it removes any possible misunderstanding that might lead us astray in our own pursuit of discipleship. Jesus didn’t say that disciples are people who just memorize religious teachings. He also didn’t say that disciples are people who only observe religious rules or perform acts of personal piety. No, disciples are more than just people who go to church on Sunday or even people who professes a particular creed. Becoming a disciple means even more than just doing any of those religious things.  Those things are all very good and can be very important means of grace but they are meant to lead us to the ultimate source of grace in Jesus Himself. The singular identifying quality of disciples is that they love as Jesus loved which means they live out the faith they profess, their baptismal identity, and the grace of the sacraments in their sacrificial love for God and neighbor. Receiving the sacraments is an important source of grace but if that grace is not lived and actualized in our lives, then it fails to reach maturity because of our lack of openness and cooperation. Jesus is teaching us that we don’t fully become disciples until we allow the love of God to flow through us to others when He said, “all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”  This is an active definition that is demonstrated on the cross. Disciples, then, must follow Jesus in laying down their lives for others even as our Lord laid down His life for us. After Jesus ascended into heaven, the world could only know God when Love is again made visible in the lives of disciples — that’s us. When we allow the Love of God to flow through us into the world then we are allowing others to know God through us. That is an awesome definition of evangelization! This is a challenging message and one that should cause us to re-examine how effectively we have been such disciples of Jesus Christ. In 1854, the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard criticized the attitude of his fellow Christians including the guilty silence of one of the bishops by saying, “It is the duty of a Christian, as an Apostle also enjoys, to be always ready to give answer concerning the hope that is in him. But how does he comport himself?  Pretty much like the boys on New Year’s Eve, who when they see their chance seize the opportunity to throw a pot at people’s door, and then make off, around by another street, so that the police may not catch them.”[1] This hope that dwells in us is the truth of Jesus Christ and those who witness to it declare themselves true disciples. Kierkegaard was speaking about disciples who fail to take a stand of faith in difficult times by boldly proclaiming Jesus Christ as the only source of the world’s salvation and peace. Our witness means nothing if we do not witness to God in the Word made Flesh who laid down His life for us as His friends. Jesus warned His own disciples that He will be ashamed of them if they are ashamed of Him or His words when the Son of Man comes in glory and judgement (see Lk 9:26). If you were to describe what it means to be a Christian, what would be your definition? How have you come to know God through someone who embodied the Lord’s love? When have you been humbled by being an instrument of God’s love for others? Love can turn even the greatest sacrifice into a joy. When have you found joy in sacrificial love for others? While we may express our discipleship in a variety of ways, the commandment to love as Jesus loved challenges us to always witness it in our daily lives. How does the New Commandment of Jesus challenge you to reconsider your daily discipleship?

When Judas had left them, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of John 21:1–19. In this passage, we first read about the Risen Lord directing the work of the disciples as they fish. Then we read the challenging dialogue between Jesus and Peter in which our Lord commissions him to be the chief shepherd of Christ’s flock. The image of fishing was traditionally used in scripture to describe the missionary activity of the Church while the image of shepherding was equally used to describe the pastoral activity of the Church. This passage is rich in meaning, therefore, and offers some important details for our consideration as disciples who are responsible for both the missionary and pastoral ministries of the Church today.

One of the important clues in understanding this passage is found in the symbol of the charcoal fire which is at the heart of this reading (see Jn 21:9). This is an important detail because the last time the disciples were around a charcoal fire was in John 18:18 when Peter denied Jesus three times. Now, Peter would have a chance to affirm his love for Jesus three times around a similar charcoal fire. Jesus did not want Peter to be defined by his failure or to allow his denial to be the only thing Peter thought of every time he saw such a fire. Rather, the Lord wanted to give Peter another opportunity to be a faithful friend and disciple. In providing this new opportunity, Jesus allowed Peter to redeem his failure by once again renewing his love and commitment to the Lord.

This symbol of the charcoal fire helps us to interpret what takes place throughout this chapter of John’s Gospel and to understand both the actions of fishing and shepherding as expressions of God’s redeeming work in us and through us to the world. Certainly, Peter was grateful for the opportunity to be redeemed by Christ’s love and in his obedient and grateful love he could be both a great missionary and a great pastor. When we fail the Lord, and others, we are oftentimes given opportunities to redeem our failure and demonstrate our love and fidelity just as Peter did.

In God’s great mercy, the Lord not only leaves the door open for our conversion but even sets us up with opportunities and invitations to pursue it. When we understand that ministry opportunities are really invitations to live out our redemption in Christ, then we will eagerly and generously demonstrate our obedient friendship with Jesus as well and become His co-workers for the salvation of the world.

In what ways have you been given opportunities to redeem situations of weakness or failure in your own life?

How did you respond to those invitations?

What do you think was Peter’s first thought when he saw Jesus standing around a charcoal fire?

What situation or person are you avoiding because of a previous failure and how does this passage give you encouragement to actively seek redemption?

The first half of this passage focuses on the work of redemption that will take place through the ministry of Peter as the Chief Fisherman of the Church. The role of Peter as leader in this effort is demonstrated by the fact that he is the one who initiates the effort (see Jn 21:3). As previously stated, fishing was commonly understood in scripture as a metaphor for missionary activity. It should be remembered that just prior to this passage Jesus had just sent the disciples on a mission (see Jn 20:21). Also, the image of a boat has been a symbol of the Church since the first Century (see Jn 21:3). Thus, this passage teaches us an important message about how the missionary activity of the Church will take place.  There are several elements in this passage that need to be considered;

• The disciples must follow the Lord’s direction in order for their work to be successful (see Jn 21:5–6). When they act on their own, without seeking the Lord’s direction and obediently following it, then their nets remain empty and their efforts fruitless.
• The number of the catch (one hundred fifty-three fish) has a variety of possible meanings and there is no clear indication of what John intended, if anything, by including this detail. It is possible that this number represents the Hebrew phrase Beni ha Elohim which means “Sons of God” (in Hebrew, each letter has a particular numerical value and the value of this phrase totals to one hundred fifty-three). If this interpretation is correct, then the fish represent new Believers who have become Sons of God through the missionary efforts of the Church and the Sacrament of Baptism.
• Something interesting happens to these fish at various stages in this story and their status seems to change as they move from one stage to another. This change in status is indicated by the use of three different words in Greek to refer to fish at each point in the story. In verse 5, Jesus uses the Greek word prosphagion (a general term meaning “for eating”) to refer to fish who randomly roam the waters and are not yet in the nets. In verse 6, when the fish are in the nets, they are then referred to as ixthuon. Finally, in verses 9 and 13 when Jesus offers a meal of bread and fish to the disciples, our Lord uses the word opsarion. (Note: the same word for fish and bread is used in Jn 6:9 and Jn 6:11 in the context of the Eucharistic scene of the multiplication of the loaves and fish). The use of various terms is telling us that the missionary activity of the Church has a transforming effect on people which leads them to become new realities through the Sacraments of Baptism (Sons of God) and Eucharist.
• When the disciples are invited to the meal with Jesus we are told that they know it is the Lord (see Jn 21:12) because Jesus is revealed to them (see Jn 21:14). This revelation of Jesus in the context of a Eucharistic setting is similar to what the disciples experience on the journey to Emmaus in Luke 24:30–31 when they, too, recognize Jesus in the Breaking of the Bread. The revelatory nature of this passage is central to its meaning. We were previously told in Jn 21:1 that Jesus would reveal Himself to His disciples. Then in Jn 21:7, we were told that the Beloved Disciple recognized Jesus as the one who spoke to them and directed their fishing efforts. It is important to note that the Beloved Disciple could only recognize Jesus through His Word when they had faithfully and obediently followed the Lord’s direction and command (this sequence reinforces a larger theme in John’s Gospel by which believing precedes revelation). Thus, the two revelatory moments of Jesus in this passage occur when our Lord speaks His Word and when He offers the Eucharistic meal. This passage is teaching us how we, as disciples today, must learn to recognize Jesus revealing Himself to us in the scriptures we read (His Word) and in the Breaking of Bread (Eucharist). The proper response to this revelation is to enter into dialogue with Jesus which will be the subsequent topic of reflection.
• Of interesting note is the fact that Jesus wants the disciples to bring some of the fish they caught to Him despite the fact that our Lord already has a meal provided for them. This element reminds us that there is a sacrificial offering requested of us when we participate in the Eucharist. It is not that Jesus needs the additional fish. Rather, Jesus offers the meal as a sharing of lives – a joining of our sacrifice with the sacrifice of Jesus to be given as one eternal acceptable offering to the Father through, with, and in the Son. This moment when the disciples bring some of their fish is a symbol of the Offertory Rite at each Mass when we are invited to make a sacrificial offering of our lives to God so that we can be transformed with the bread and wine to become the Body of Christ on earth and witnesses of Jesus in the world.

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself in this way.
Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,
Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,
Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples.
Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”
They said to him, “We also will come with you.”
So they went out and got into the boat,
but that night they caught nothing.
When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;
but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat
and you will find something.”
So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in
because of the number of fish.
So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.”
When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,
he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,
and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat,
for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,
dragging the net with the fish.
When they climbed out on shore,
they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.
Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore
full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.
Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.”
And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?”
because they realized it was the Lord.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,
and in like manner the fish.
This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples
after being raised from the dead.

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus 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.”
Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Jesus said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that Jesus 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.”

Our scripture passage comes from the Gospel of Luke 24:1–12. The New Testament accounts of Jesus’ resurrection are well known to us. Due to our familiarity with these texts we can easily overlook significant details by which each of the Gospel writers wished to communicate particular meaning. The Gospel of Luke offers numerous unique insights that are meant to inspire, encourage, and guide our lives as disciples. In this passage we hear of the women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee and were present for His crucifixion. Now they go to the tomb to anoint our Lord’s body. When they arrive, they see the tomb open and the body gone. They went looking for Jesus in the last place they had seen Him, but He was not to be found there. Instead, two men ask them a question that is really a thought-provoking reprimand: “Why do you seek the one who lives among the dead?” (It should be noted that this phrase places the emphasis on “the One who lives” rather than on “the dead”). This reprimand is an important instruction for all disciples who seek to find Jesus by looking for Him as they knew Him in a past experience. Sometimes we can think that Jesus was more real in the past than He is in the present. We can look for Jesus as He was 2,000 years ago in history and fail to recognize Him present to us now in the Sacraments, the Holy Spirit, and the lives of faithful Christians. We can also become so focused on efforts to re-create a previous encounter with Christ in our own personal lives that we fail to see where the Lord is calling us now. When we do that then we are like these women who return to a past experience of Jesus rather than learning to recognize Him present now in a new way. Luke emphasizes throughout His Gospel that today is the day of our salvation, not yesterday. Today the Scripture is being fulfilled in our midst — not yesterday or tomorrow (see Lk 4:21). Today is when we must pick up our Cross and follow Jesus — not yesterday or tomorrow (see Lk 9:23). For this reason the Liturgy of the Word on Easter Sunday invites us to sing the antiphon taken from Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” In this way, we are invited to celebrate the resurrection as a current event that is always relevant and significant for our lives as disciples. What are typical past experiences of Jesus that people can focus on in such a way that it prevents them from seeking Jesus in the present moment? When do you find yourself looking for the living one among the dead and focusing on a past event (retreat experience or prayer experience) rather than recognizing Jesus as the one who lives in the present? How do you seek the Living One present to you now? When we search for Jesus where He is not present then we become frustrated and even doubtful. How can a faith community help people recognize Jesus (the One who lives) present in their lives today? The reprimand leads to a reminder as the women are challenged to remember the whole of Jesus’ message including the necessity of His suffering, death, and subsequent glorification. That process of remembering Jesus’ life and teaching transforms them and fills them with joy as they come to faith and believe in our Lord’s Word. They then understand the meaning of the empty tomb and the burial garments left behind. These things are remnants of the past and Jesus would never need them again because He will die no more. The problem is that we can sometimes suffer from a selective memory of Jesus’ words and teachings. Obviously, the disciples had the same problem or they would have understood Jesus’ words as did the women. When we are selective in our faith memory then we fail to embrace everything Jesus teaches and can focus on only those things we want to hear, are easy to follow, or make sense to us. Sometimes we can even intentionally disregard parts of our Lord’s teaching when it is particularly challenging or difficult to grasp. The women don’t understand what the empty tomb means until they remember Jesus teaching about “rising from the dead.” Jesus’ past teaching interpreted their current situation, which makes them realize how much God is in control of all things. It is important for us to remember that we cannot enter into the mystery of Jesus until we understand the message of Jesus. In Christian iconography this essential truth of faith is communicated by the four Evangelists (Gospel writers) represented on the four points of a Crucifix.  The Evangelists teach us the Christian Experience that leads us to be united with Jesus in His Mystery of suffering, death, and resurrection. If we have neglected part of the message, we have reduced our ability to enter into the mystery of our Lord. We can’t remember what we don’t know. One of the necessary steps of mature discipleship is to learn what Jesus said and did by studying the Gospels. Only then can we remember our Lord’s words in the course of our daily lives so as to have a proper perspective on the situations we face. When has the teaching or lived example of Jesus helped you to understand your life in a new way? How have you been transformed by remembering the life and message of Jesus in a challenging time? When do people find it easy to focus on some things Jesus said and did but not on others? What part of our Lord’s message do people tend to focus on and accept? What part of our Lord’s message do people tend to disregard? The women then remembered His words, understood the reality of the resurrection, and took this message to the other disciples. In this action, the women became the first ones to announce the good news of the resurrection. These women were no newcomers to the ministry of Jesus. In Luke 8:1–3, we were told that there were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities who followed Jesus. Among these were Mary Magdalene from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward. These two women are now present at the resurrection along with Mary the mother of James and some others. These same women stood by Jesus in His crucifixion (see Lk 23:49) and witnessed His burial (see Lk 23:55). Luke wants us to know that these women have been deeply immersed in the life and teachings of Jesus. They have been eyewitnesses of our Lord’s actions throughout the Gospel. Now they are represented as becoming Ministers of the Word as they bring the fullness of the Gospel message to others by proclaiming the resurrection. For Luke, it is an important part of discipleship that eyewitnesses become Ministers of the Word. Luke has already alluded to this necessary development in the very opening passages of His Gospel (see Lk 1:2). We are called to imitate the example of the women and to become Ministers of the Word as well. We become eyewitnesses to Jesus when we recognize the active presence of Jesus in our lives. This is an awareness we can only have when we faithfully remember His words. Being a Minister of the Word means that we help others to understand the Christian mystery and to recognize Jesus, the One Who Lives, in their lives as well. It also means inviting others to enter into the Christian mystery by our attractive witness of discipleship. The women in this passage took initiative in bringing the message to others; they didn’t wait until they were told to do so. The same should be true for us. We are also told that the women in this passage “kept repeating” the message which indicates an ongoing effort. Their continuous repeating of the message informs us that they were not deterred by initial disbelief, rejection, or ridicule. The only way they can fail is if they stop repeating the message. The women are not only witnesses but they have become missionaries who share the good news of the risen Jesus Christ to all whom they meet. So should we. How does the transition from being an “eyewitness” to becoming a “Minister of the Word” change the way you understand discipleship? What can help you be a better eyewitness? What opportunities do you have to be a Minister of the Word for others in your family, friends, or professional life? Luke wants us to know that the same women who had previously been identified as suffering evil spirits and infirmities have now become the most courageous of missionaries. What temptations of unworthiness or unpreparedness can cause someone to dismiss the invitation to become a missionary of faith? One last note about this passage is the very frequent use of the word “tomb.”  A careful study of this section of Luke’s Gospel indicates that the word tomb is used eight times (see Lk 23:53, 23:55, 24:1, 24:2, 24:9, 24:12, 24:22, 24:24). Luke is making a very significant statement by using the word tomb eight times in connection with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The number Eight (8) was a symbolic way of referring to the day of resurrection as the day that initiates eternal life. You see, while Jesus was in the tomb over the course of only three calendar days as calculated in Hebrew chronology (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), Jesus actually rose from the dead on the first day of a new week (see Lk 24:1). To call it the “first day” is most commonly understood as a reference to the original creation of the world and implies that the resurrected life of Jesus initiates a new creation on a new first day. However, the use of the expression “first day” can also be misleading and imply that the resurrection takes place in ordinary time. In the resurrection, Jesus is no longer bound by time or space. Our Lord has opened the door to the eternal day that never ends —that is why some Christians in the early Church referred to the day of resurrection more properly as the “Eighth Day” (or the first day of eternity) so as to distinguish it from ordinary days of the week. There is no ninth day. For this reason, the number eight is associated with the resurrection of Jesus and has become a symbol for Jesus Himself as the Eight Day incarnate. If you look at most baptisteries in Christian churches, you will notice that they commonly have eight sides to them. The symbolism of the number eight being associated with the experience of Baptism is even represented in the very building of the baptistery of Saint John Lateran in Rome (dating to the fifth century). The eight references to the tomb in these passages from Luke’s Gospel are telling us that our baptism is an immersion into the death and resurrection of Jesus and that we must enter into the tomb with Jesus in order to rise with Him as members of His body who share everlasting life. Saint Paul makes this clear in his teachings on Baptism and discipleship when he says that we must “die with Christ and be buried with him” (see Rom 6:3–5 and Col 2:2). To phrase this teaching in a more poetic way, it could be said that the Tomb becomes the womb from which disciples are born in the waters of Baptism. How does this understanding of the tomb as a symbol for baptism deepen your appreciation of this passage? The tomb is the consistent symbol that connects Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. In many ancient Christian churches the altar was actually represented as a tomb. What does that symbolism say about the Eucharist being the reality of our participation in the Paschal Mystery of Jesus and of His death and resurrection? Being a disciple means that we die to ourselves so that it is Christ who lives in us. What aspects of your life are difficult to let go of so that Christ can live in you? The women were transformed by their experience at the tomb of Jesus and they become missionaries as a result of it. How is our baptism meant to be an experience of transforming grace that makes us missionaries? What can a faith community do to help people better understand the reality and significance of their baptism?

At daybreak on the first day of the week the women who had come from Galilee with Jesus took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb; but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were puzzling over this, behold, two men in dazzling garments appeared to them. They were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground. They said to them, “Why do you seek the living one among the dead? He is not here, but he has been raised. Remember what he said to you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners and be crucified, and rise on the third day.” And they remembered his words. Then they returned from the tomb and announced all these things to the eleven and to all the others. The women were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James; the others who accompanied them also told this to the apostles, but their story seemed like nonsense and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb, bent down, and saw the burial cloths alone; then he went home amazed at what had happened.