Cast the net over the right side... – John 21:6

The team was tired; it was very late at night and our project presentation was far from   acceptable. The manager of the group would review everything in the morning! I started rationalizing. “Why am I helping these guys?
      My boss didn’t even ask me to!”
      We were ready to throw in the towel.
      Peter must have felt that way when he said, “I’m going fishing.” 
     To make matters worse, he and his buddies caught nothing—nada! He, too, was ready to throw in the towel.
      Isn’t it funny that just before everything comes crumbling down, the Lord somehow gives us moments of grace— to calm down, relax and try again?
      You read the story; the Lord told Peter not to quit but to try again. They had quite a catch. And more importantly, they had breakfast with Jesus and were assured of His continuing presence.
      For me, the moment of grace came when I heard a teaching by Christian author Chuck Swindoll early the next morning. The result? Not only did we satisfy the team’s boss but our work also became an award-winning project within the company. More than that, the team felt it was the Lord’s favor. Ariel D.

REFLECTION:
When you are ready to throw in the towel, don’t quit. Turn to the Lord. He is ready to give you that moment.

Thank You, Father, for moments of grace.

P S A L M 

Psalm 118:1-2, 4, 22-24, 25-27

R: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the LORD say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23 By the LORD has this been done; it is wonderful in our eyes. (R) 24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it. (R) 25 O LORD, grant salvation! O LORD, grant prosperity! 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD; we bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. (R)

G O S P E L

John 21:1-14

It seems that remembering similar instances with Jesus is a trigger to their recognizing Him after the resurrection. Perhaps this is why memory is so important in ritual celebrations. Through the use of our memory we can be transported back to past encounters with God, even, in the case of ritual, to ones where we were not physically present but where the collective memory of the Church takes over for us. What a gift the Sacraments are to us when they help us to remember what God has done for us.
  
1 After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. 2 Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. 3 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. 4 When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” 6 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. 7 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. 8 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. 9 When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” 11 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. 12 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. 13 Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.

my reflections
think: What a gift the Sacraments are to us when they help us to remember what God has done for us.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 1 Chronicles 14-17

 GETTING TO KNOW THE SAINTS

Saint Perpetuus of Tours

Perpetuus was born to a senatorial family during the 5th century A.D. He became bishop of Tours in 460. According to Saint Gregory, the bishop decreed that all people in his diocese should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays, as well as on several Mondays in the Christian year. This decree in the dioceses of Tours was observed until a century after his death.

The bishop was remembered even centuries after his death. He was so strongly remembered that during the 18th century, Perpetuus forged a will, declaring that he left all his pastures, groves, vineyards, houses, gardens, watermills, gold, and silver to the poor.

You, my dearly beloved brothers, my crown, my joy, that is to say, Christ s poor, needy, beggars, sick, widows, and orphans, you I hereby name and decree to be my heirs.

Saint Perpetuus of Tours died either on December 30, 490 or April 8, 491. According to reports, there were occasions when the sick were healed at his tomb or when his relics were carried in procession.

http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0408.htm

This event by the side of the lake reflects a similar story told at the beginning of Luke’s Gospel. The disciples have spent the night fishing and have failed to catch anything. At a word from Jesus they throw out their nets one last time and the nets are filled to breaking point. It is quite clear to me that here we are being invited to reflect upon the consequences of obedience to the Word of God. If we follow His will, then our lives will be fruitful to an extent we can hardly imagine; if we are just acting upon our own wisdom, we may or may not bear fruit in our lives. We should never forget the power of the Word of God and, at the same time, always seek to put it into practice in our lives.
      John recognizes the person on the shore as Jesus when he sees the extent of the catch. Perhaps he is remembering back to that earlier event three years before? Whatever is the case, it is a reminder to us to keep an open mind at all times as Jesus may appear to us in as simple an act as catching fish and manifest His glory for all to see. Peter the impetuous one cannot wait for the boat to get back to shore so he dives into the water to go and greet Jesus. It probably would have been quicker to stay in the boat than to swim with all his robes on to the shore, but then again, that is Peter for you!
      They then share a meal with Jesus but they avoid asking Him who He is. This indicates a certain mystery surrounds the resurrected Jesus. There is enough of the same for the disciples to recognize Him, but there must also have been an ‘otherness’ to the appearance of Jesus. In the same sort of way, Jesus will appear to us in the daily events of our lives – both in forms we easily recognize and those that have a different quality to them. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Am I truly open to recognizing the hand of God at work in
my life or do I tend to be skeptical of such ideas?

Father, I know You love me and want to guide my life according to Your will. Help me to be open to your word and guiding hand so that I will recognize their presence each time you appear.

Blessed John Lockwood, martyr, pray for us.