Texts taken from the missal “On Your Word” May-June 2025
3rd Sunday of Easter (C)
3rd wk. omitted
FIRST READING
From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 5:27b-32, 40b-41)
In those days, the high priest questioned the apostles, saying: “Did we not expressly forbid you to teach in this name? And yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Peter and the apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior, to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. And of these things we are witnesses, as is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” They had [the apostles] flogged and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Then they released them. So they left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus. – The word of God.
Commentary on the first reading
The apostles demonstrate great freedom toward the Sanhedrin, which constituted the main authority of the Jewish religion. But the time has come to preach the fulfillment of Judaism itself: the Messiah has come; he is Jesus. The Son of God continues to live in the Church, giving his Holy Spirit, who helps us overcome temptations, reject the devil and evil, and live in the spiritual joy of the resurrection. It is not possible to remain silent about these things! Today too, we must shout such truths from the rooftops, and it does not matter if people consider us fanatics or exaggerators. Of course, there are different ways to evangelize, but the need to proclaim the truth is truly urgent, because without Jesus we can do nothing. We note that the apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing, even though they had been severely mistreated; indeed, they had been thoroughly flogged! How is it possible to be happy after just suffering a terrible scourging? It is possible if the Holy Spirit lives in us. We must therefore fear nothing, because the true evil is not the scourges but sin.
SECOND READING
From the Book of Revelation of Saint John the Apostle (Rev 5:11-14)
I, John, saw and heard the voices of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders. Their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, and they said in a loud voice: “The Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor, glory and blessing.” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth, under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory and power, forever and ever.” And the four living creatures said: “Amen.” And the elders prostrated themselves in worship. – The word of God.
Commentary on the second reading
When John sees the things that take place in heaven, he draws us into a grand liturgy: prostrations, thrones, altars, incense, prayers, songs… Great composure reigns; each person has a role, and everyone worships the one Lord, who is Jesus, the Lamb sacrificed out of love for us. That is what we will do in Paradise as well. The liturgy we celebrate in our churches, in fact, follows that of heaven and thus accustoms us, draws us in, and teaches us to live the future reality, the definitive one. Have you ever heard the choral singing of Vespers in a Benedictine monastery? The monks move in unison, stand, sit, bow, cense, and raise sublime songs… And people say: “It feels like being in Paradise!” And in fact, that is where we are, even though we are still weighed down by matter and the things of the world. Between earthly life and eternal life, between corruptible life and glorious life, there is therefore continuity. It follows, then, that true activity, the concreteness of things, reality, is what we experience in church in the liturgy. If we live it well, we participate supremely in the life of heaven.
GOSPEL
From the Gospel according to John (Jn 21:1-19)
At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way: Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We 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 stood 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, “No.” Then he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and they were unable to haul it in because of the great number of fish. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked his garment around his waist, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from land, only about a hundred yards. When they stepped ashore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Although 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 knew well that it was the Lord. Jesus came over, took the bread, and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. This was now the third time Jesus revealed himself to the 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?” He answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him for the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus answered 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 to indicate by what kind of death he would glorify God. And after saying this, he said to him, “Follow me.” - The Gospel of the Lord.
Commentary on the Gospel
It is clear that the threefold affirmation of love for Jesus is intended to make amends for Peter’s threefold denial, of which he had been guilty in the courtyard of the high priest. This connection is much discussed by the Fathers. But what does the following passage have to do with it? Peter proclaims his renewed fidelity to Jesus, and Jesus replies by telling him that when he is old he will no longer be able to dress himself and will have to be carried by an assistant. The evangelist’s explanation (“he said this to indicate by what kind of death he would glorify God”) points us in the right direction... Clearly, a verbal declaration of love is not enough for Peter. A deeper test is needed: that of humility. An old person can no longer dress himself; he must let someone else do it and allow another person to lay hands on him, which is rather humiliating. In the same way, an elderly person can no longer climb stairs or leave the house alone: they must be accompanied in everything, like a child in kindergarten. Such decline of the natural body is a true humiliation, making us completely humble, stripped bare, and needy. That is where Peter must arrive. Having been abandoned so completely into God’s hands, he will then be able to die as Jesus did, for Jesus, out of love.
