Pureness of Heart

Third Sunday of Easter
18 April 2010


The Lord has truly risen, alleluia.


First reading Acts 5:27-32,40-41 3
The high priest demanded an explanation of the Apostles. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’ and they had the apostles called in, gave orders for them to be flogged, warned them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. And so they left the presence of the Sanhedrin glad to have had the honour of suffering humiliation for the sake of the name.

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 29:2,4-6,11-13

Second reading Apocalypse 5:11-14
In my vision, I, John, heard the sound of an immense number of angels gathered round the throne and the animals and the elders; there were ten thousand times ten thousand of them and thousands upon thousands, shouting, ‘The Lamb that was sacrificed is worthy to be given power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.’ Then I heard all the living things in creation – everything that lives in the air, and on the ground, and under the ground, and in the sea, crying, ‘To the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, for ever and ever.’ And the four animals said, ‘Amen’; and the elders prostrated themselves to worship.

Gospel John 21:1-19
Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.
It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. Jesus called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something.’ So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land.
As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.
After the meal Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?’ He answered, ‘Yes Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He replied, ‘Yes, Lord, you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Look after my sheep.’ Then he said to him a third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was upset that he asked him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and said, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.
‘I tell you most solemnly,
when you were young
you put on your own belt
and walked where you liked;
but when you grow old
you will stretch out your hands,
and somebody else will put a belt round you
and take you where you would rather not go.’
In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, ‘Follow me.’

Reflection
By Grace Madriñan

If I was Peter in today’s Gospel, I would have felt the same concern. Why do I have to be asked three times on same day if I love the Lord? Did I love Him less than what is expected? Perhaps these are the questions that Peter had in mind. What Peter failed to recognize at that time, probably, was the fact that he did deny Jesus three times before. And Jesus was just erasing each denial with confirmation of Peter’s faith.

I believe what Jesus did is similar to the renewal of faith we do during the Easter Sunday Mass. We are asked again to respond to the same questions asked during baptism. And we do this renewal of baptism rites every year. Not that the Lord is forgetful or is doubting our faith. It is us who are forgetful and doubtful. Being the human that we are, we tend to forget our commitment to the Lord. Being the sinners that we are, we tend to be doubtful of ourselves, forgetting that we are no less than a child of God – and that we are already redeemed by Jesus’ blood.

This also reminds me of my nephew who used to argue with my mother whenever he refuses to take a bath. He said, “Why take a bath, I will get dirty later anyway?” Funny! But being a parent, my mother would want her grandson clean and fresh every day. This is the same with our faith. God asks us this question every day, “Do you love me more than these?” He wants us renewed each time to prepare us for greater tasks. He wants us to go back to the "basics", to purify our intentions whenever He asks “Do you love me more than these?” It is like saying, “Do you love me more than the blessings I give to you?” On this third Sunday of Easter, let us examine ourselves further and make sure that the next time we say ‘Yes’ to the Lord, it will have more conviction and pureness of our heart.


Father, continue to renew our faith so that each ‘Yes’ may give You glory. And as we heed Your call, purify our intentions so that our hearts may burn with passion to serve You. Amen.

Next week on God-speak
Hearing Aid