+ As we celebrate Easter Day for the sixth time today we hear of a post-resurrection appearance of Jesus to his disciples, his third since last Sunday. Jesus appears on the shores of the Sea of Tiberius. He finds Peter, James, John, Thomas and Nathanael fishing. He knows that they have caught nothing during the night, so he directs them to cast their net a certain way and they catch a huge quantity of fish! It is at this point that John recognizes Jesus on the shore and shouts out: "It's the Lord" – and then Peter jumps into the lake and swims to meet him on the shore. It was very exciting for Peter, John and the rest to encounter Jesus in his new risen state! They have breakfast together and thoroughly enjoy his company!
My dear people of God – when we come to Mass it is as though we cast our nets of faith into the sea of faith and fill it with what God provides for us: the Word which is his Son, and not baked fish, but broken bread which is his Body. It is meant to be a very exciting experience for us, being here – to have a kind of breakfast together, to thoroughly enjoy his company – before we go out into our day, into our lives – strengthened by the food and fellowship with the Risen Jesus and one another who are baptized into his life – and make a big difference in it. The quality of our daily relationships needs to be ever more joyful, ever more hopeful, ever more peaceful – ever more charitable – or else we have been dieting the wrong way on our visits to church.
In the first reading today we see Jesus referred to as the stone rejected that has become the cornerstone: it is in that capacity that he is the center of our lives and the main motivation behind everything that we do with his power and on his behalf. At this breakfast meal may we make this rejected, Risen Lord Jesus the center of our lives, and may we share his life and love with everyone we meet today!
This is the day the Lord has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it!
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