3rd Sunday of Easter Year C.
Readings: Acts 5:27-32,40-41, Rev. 5:11-14, and Jn. 21:1-19.
“Do You Love Me More Than These Others Do? Then Obey My Instructions.”
Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ,
1. Today, we celebrate the 3rd Sunday of Easter. We are still in a festive period which should bring joy and satisfaction to us. There are two serious things that the Church invites us to consider, to meditate upon today – Love and obedience. Love which is also known as charity is the greatest of all virtues; it is closely followed in today’s gospel text by obedience. When you love, you will obey. In the gospel text, Peter is asked three times by Jesus – do you love me? Peter accepted in all the three times and Jesus gave him the following instructions respectively: Feed my Lambs, tend after my sheep and feed my sheep. The three times question was like cancelling Peter’s three times denial of Jesus during the trial or the Passon of Jesus. Peter had denied three times that he knew Jesus and now he is assuring Jesus three times that he loves Him even more than these others do.
2. Prior to the text of this assurance of Peter, he and six others had worked the whole night and caught nothing. We are told that when they reported to have caught nothing, Jesus instructed “Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.” Having obeyed, they netted so many fish that they couldn’t haul it in. It was only then that they noticed it was Jesus, the Lord, who commanded them. Yes, obedience yielded to a great catch of the fish – 153 of them and yet the net was not broken. If they hadn’t obeyed, they would not have caught anything. That it was light already was a sign they were about retiring home with nothing. An act of obedience brought them a big catch of the fish – 153.
3. In our first reading, the apostles were brought before the Sanhedrin. They were asked to give an explanation as to why they had continued to preach in the name of Jesus despite repeated warnings. They were bold enough to tell the Court that “Obedience to God comes before obedience to men.” We are told that they were flogged and asked not to preach again. They left rejoicing that they had the honor of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name. Yes, it was disobedience to men and obedience to God that we are blessed to have received the Good News preached to us.
4. Disobedience has been the one thing that has ruined a great many people and conditioned many happenings and events. Examples abound:
i) We will recall the sin of Adam and Eve; the sin that handicapped all of us and brought us where we are; the sin that put an end to our salvation if not for Christ’s coming! The disobedience that made all of us vulnerable. When the world had embraced evil in total disobedience, orchestrating God’s anger, it was thanks to Noah, as an obedient servant that the portion of God’s creation was saved. Disobedience destroys while obedience restores.
ii) Sodom and Gomorrah disobeyed God entirely. God rained down Sulphur and fire as the outcome of their disobedience.
iii) In Egypt when the new Pharaoh who knew nothing of Joseph ordered that the mid-wives should kill the male children of the Israelites, for fear of God, that is in obedience to God, they did not, and we are told “God dealt well with the midwives… he built up families for them.” (Ex. 7:15ff).
iv) In Exodus story – Moses instructed the Israelites to be obedient, he taught them the Decalogue – when they never kept the Law, they were vulnerable to their enemies. When they never kept to the terms of the Covenant, they suffered. And enjoyed God’s benevolence when in obedience to the covenant.
v) When the Israelites settled at Canaan, the Promised Land, God gave them their first King, Saul. He started well in obedience to Yahweh but soon power went to his head, and he disobeyed God. The consequences were obvious – God rejected him; God’s Spirit left him, and he died miserably.
The above examples are enough to let us see what disobedience/obedience can do.
5. Now in our Chirstian Communities, it would be good to find out whom we are obeying – God or Humanity. We have the word of God and the doctrine. We all make solemn promises at all levels and what we make of them is worth considering.
i.) In Baptism, we promised to deny Satan and all his works, empty promises and his tricks. Does it not surprise you that some Christians are in the Secret Societies; in Occultic groups; some others practicing witchcraft and practicing destructive magics?
ii.) At Confirmation – having been filled with God’s Holy Spirit, we promised to go out of ourselves as soldiers of Christ, to witness to his name:
- Yet how many of us are indifferent to pastoral issues, the needs of others?
- Yet how many of us live without knowing or having anything to do with the one or those living in the next house or apartment?
- Yet, how many of us see wrong things and pass by claiming that it is none of our business, forgetting that what goes around, comes around? etc.
iii.) At Marriages, we solemnly declare calling on all persons present to witness that ‘I do take thee NN to be my lawful wedded wife/ husband from this day forward, to hold and to cherish, for better for worst, in sickness and in health, for richer for poorer till death do us part.’:
- Yet, how many abandon their homes because of poverty, poor health and problems that may surface unexpectedly?
- How many have built new relationships thinking that it was a mistake they made to have wedded this person and not the other? And not before long even the new one is still seen as another mistake. Human beings are not Angels, not perfect, it is a great sacrifice to make meaning out of every commitment.
iv.) At Ordinations/Solemn Profession, we promised obedience, poverty and chastity and yet what do we get there after?
- We experience rejection or disobedience to Bishops and Superiors in words or/and actions.
- At our convenience we abandon the priesthood and religious life we’d lovingly embrace for earthly pursuits.
- Hold on to friends for wrong motives.
- Involving in various ventures that deprived us from our commitments to the tasks entrusted to us as the ministers of words and sacraments.
6. Beloved brothers and sisters, these are all forms of disobedience, some graver than others. When you disobey, the consequences are on you, everyone around you, and away from you. Happiness leaves you; you degrade yourself as made in God’s image and likeness; you fade; you depreciate … when you disobey, especially when you do so knowingly and willingly. Thanks be to God that we can always reconcile and try to make amends. It is possible to right the wrongs as we journey in this life – one can always renounce membership in the Occult; reconstruct one’s marriage; relive our solemn promises at Ordinations and Profession; the promises made at Baptism and Confirmation. Christ asks you as he did to Peter – Do you love me? The answer is living in all people. Justification of errors made, or sins committed solves no problem. The solution lies in humble admission of guilt and renewal in Confession and the frequent refreshing in the celebration of the eucharist, other Sacraments, prayerful lifestyle and charitable activities. May God grant us the grace.
To God be the glory and honor forever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Anthony D. Lawir,
Pastor, St. Agnes and Our Lady of the Snows Parishes, Pittsfield and Dexter.