Just a word...Third Sunday of Easter...May 1, 2022

            The only thing missing from this past week was a wedding!  We’ve had First Reconciliation, a funeral, Confirmation and First Communion.  The church has been filled with those seeking forgiveness, those hoping to be reminded of the promise of eternal life, those whose parents were praying for the influence of the Holy Spirit to guide their young person’s life, and those looking to join their families in the Communion line. The emotions elicited in each of these gatherings ran the gamut from nervousness to sadness, from apprehension to excitement.  But in all these celebrations, one common element stood out...and that was the presence of the living Christ.

In today’s Gospel, the disciples did not recognize Jesus as being more than simply a stranger on the shore until the circumstances of their lives revealed his presence. For it was in the number of fish they caught, after said stranger suggested casting the net to the right side of the boat, that Jesus was revealed. With another example of turning events upside down, Jesus changed paucity to abundance.  And there’s more; Jesus, the host extraordinaire, cooks and serves the disciples breakfast, modeling the hospitality to which all Christians are called. Then comes the question to Peter, “Do you love me?” followed by the command to “Feed my sheep,” the command that may have been to Peter, but through Peter comes to us, as Church, as followers of Christ. And how do we show our love for the Lord? How do we feed the sheep?

I would suggest that with word and sacrament, with music and outreach, this parish cooperates with Jesus in nurturing faith from doubt, helping turn sorrow into joy and despair into hope, by loving Christ together, as we show by our feeding the flock. We did just that this week especially, nurtured as we were by our recent celebration of the most important week of our liturgical year. Our parish continues the mission of love and forgiveness left to us by Jesus, who promised life in abundance and eternal life to his followers.

It is in the circumstances of our lives, not only within this church, but also beyond these walls, where we can recognize the Christ in our midst. Secure in that knowledge, we can become the face of Christ to a broken world. 

Where will you see the face of Christ today?