18/04/2010 - 3 SUNDAY IN EASTER SEASON- C
1Reading Act 5,27-32.40-41 Psalm 29 2Reading Rev 5,11-14 Gospel Jn 21,1-19
"While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me;
I have guarded them, and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the
Scripture might be fulfilled". Jesus speaks as if he is already risen and already
in that glory he asked for from the Father. Now he summarizes in few words his three
year ministry with his disciples. What did he do? What was his objective at every
moment? He had already said: "I made know your name to those you have given
me from the world", and now he says: "I have kept them in your name which
you have given me and guarded them". He made known the Father's name to his
disciples, but it's more powerful to say "I kept them in your name". We
are not familiar with such an expression as keeping one in someone's name. With
it Jesus wanted to express all his love for his disciples: he drew them to him only
to trust them to the Father, even so, to be transformed by the love of the Father.
Jesus' commitment towards them was that they be and remain always children of God,
that is, open for him, obedient to him, addressed towards him, as he himself was
accepted as Son. To be in the Father's name is contrary to Adam's attitude who took
the rival side towards God. Jesus, who came as the Son and has incarnated the love
of the Son, finally starts the true way of behaving with God the Father. He started
it and we are to continue upon it. Before we listen to our expectations and program
our projects, we should put ourselves in front of our Father who is in heaven and
listen to what he has to say to us. This is not an easy attitude: the saints have
realized it already. Even they had to learn it through the hard way: unfortunately
we were born and have grown in the line of Adam and therefore it's almost automatically
that we tend to ignore the beauty of God's will; for our choices we make reference
only to the aspirations of our heart. These they carry the print of our selfishness.
It is therefore a great work that of Jesus who keeps us and guards us "in the
name of the Father"!
St. John helps us to enjoy heavenly life for a second: the angles and the redeemed
proclaim praises to the Lamb and prostrate in adoration. It's a heavenly vision
that helps us to enjoy the glory of our Lord and Savior. For him the apostles and
the disciples are going through persecutions and death: when John was writing this
book, he was most probably condemned to forced labor. He, and in fact, no one ever
complained for having to suffer for Jesus. St. Luke tells us how as from the beginning,
a little while after Pentecost, the apostles were "happy to have been judged
worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus". They were flogged, partaking in the
same sufferings of the Lord. When Jesus was condemned they had run away, they were
afraid from suffering and death. Now, having received his Spirit, can openly say:
"we need to obey more to God than to men". They don't care anymore to
save themselves because they now remember what Jesus had said: "who wants to
save his life, will loose it", but they remember the love that Jesus continues
to have for them. The Gospel Reading speaks of this love, made known in the last
meeting that the disciples had with him after the resurrection: he appeared to them
but they didn't recognize him, and this after a hard night of fishing without any
catch. He expresses interest and asks: "You don't have anything to eat?"
And then he advises them to drop their nets on the right hand side of the boat.
The abundant catch helps them to recognize the unknown person, who loves them, the
Lord himself! So begins a new time in the life of the apostles: Jesus asks Peter
whether he loves him and trusts him with his sheep. He doesn't need to go back to
his old life on the boat. Now he lives a new life, since he started to follow Jesus,
and he should not look back. Jesus does not warn him, but with an act of great love,
helps him to understand. The other apostles were with Peter. They had follow his
example. They too now learn to give all the love to the Lord and to do the new mission
which he gave them: to shepherd his lambs and his sheep. They will be committed
to give the true nourishment of divine life to all those who follow Jesus and then
to guard them, defend them from dangers, keep them united. The word "to shepherd"
is very powerful and means a lot of actions: to feed, to keep united, to lead to
secure places: difficult task, but possible, because it's given by Jesus and supported
by his love for him. To love Jesus is the only necessary thing to do the ministry
which he trusts with! Because of this he only asks Peter: "Do you love me?"