Deacon Matt's Reflection

Reflection for Third Sunday of Easter: May 1, 2022
 
Acts 5:27-32,40b-41:  When the captains and court officers brought the Apostles in for questioning, before the Sanhedrin,  without meaning to, they actually gave Jesus’ disciples a compliment as to the success of the Apostles work, up until that time. The court officers said: “You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching…” Ponder this. In very little time, people all over Jerusalem had heard and were beginning to already accept the Good News. This is surely evidence of the Holy Spirit’s being at work in the early Church. Ponder also the Apostles courage and willingness to suffer dishonor and even death for the sake of the Christian mission. So little time ago, they were cowering in the Upper Room; yet now they are boldly proclaiming and spreading the Word. What a miracle! What about us? Are we exuberantly sharing our faith in God and experiences of His love?  How can we get better at sharing our faith?
 
Psalm 30: “I will praise You, Lord, for You have rescued me.” This joyful psalm shows souls giving thanksgiving to God for having saved them from the punishment due to them for their sins and from the evil intentions and persecution from their enemies. The psalmist proclaims our duty to give thanks and praise to God for God’s  benevolence and for all the graces, gifts and mercy which our Creator and Redeemer lavishes upon us. The phrase, “At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing,” reminds us that there will be dark times or times of suffering and trials in all of our faith journeys, but that with the dawn; (death or re-birth into everlasting life), comes the joyful triumph of our salvation through Jesus’ redemption of us.
 
Rev 5:11-14: This short passage is ponderous in its meaning and bears reflection. John shares with us a vision of the glory and authority that Jesus enjoys in Heaven. In this vision, there are uncountable witnesses to Jesus’ glory: angels, living creatures and elders. This vast assembly has gathered to give witness to Jesus’  worthiness to receive the power and glory of the Divinity; and,  consequently, our adoration and worship. Then, the breadth and depth of John’s vision expands and we’re given a glimpse of an  infinitely larger “back-up” group of adoring witnesses; namely, “every creature in Heaven, on Earth and under the Earth and in the sea and everything in the universe,” giving adoration, glory, thanks and praise to Jesus, in this complete Heavenly assembly.
 
This week is a good time to reflect upon the Divine purpose for which we were all, individually made: to know, love, serve and to offer glory and praise and thanks to God, now and forever. This is why we’re here!
 
John 21:1-19: In these joyful weeks of the Easter season, we’re given many stories of Jesus’ revelations of Himself in His resurrected glory; such as at the tomb, in the Upper Room, on the road to Emmaus and here, at the Sea of Tiberius. Today, Jesus gives a tender and merciful gift to Peter; the chance to profess his love for the Lord, three times; to publicly atone for having betrayed and denied Jesus, three times during Jesus’ arrest, before His death on the Cross.

Jesus’ offering of this opportunity to Peter is a gift of great mercy and an opportunity for profound healing for Peter. Our Lord offers us an equally generous opportunity for healing via the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession). Are we taking advantage of this invitation to receive forgiveness?

Profound healing can be ours!
Deacon Matt