Obedience to God comes before obedience to men

Acts 5:27-32.40-41, Rev. 5:11-14, Jn 21:1-19. On this Third Sunday of Easter Year C, the Church invites us to reflect on the mystery of love in which we recognise the most concrete manifestation of God’s love in the history of Salvation. In today's first reading, the Apostles were arraigned before the Sanhedrin for preaching the resurrected Lord and spreading the news of His resurrection throughout Jerusalem in spite of warning from religious leaders to refrain from doing so. Our fruitfulness must be borne out of fidelity and obedience to Christ both of which spring from His love within us. It is only through this that we can join the company of the angels and saints and the entire host of Heaven, like Peter, in singing in unison, the hymn to the victorious One recaptured in today's second reading: “to the One who is sitting on the throne and to the Lamb, be all praise, honour, glory and power, forever and ever.” Belonging to this multitude of the redeemed is our prerogative. This is only possible when, moved by the love of God and the love for God at work within us, we are able to remain faithful as to be fruitful in the Paschal Mysteries we are celebrating.

Today's Gospel recounts the post-resurrection story of our merciful Saviour who goes in search of His disappointed and dejected disciples. In the first part of the narrative, the risen Jesus appeared to His disciples and gave them a symbol of their mission in a miraculous catch of fish followed by a grilled fish breakfast prepared by Jesus. The second part is a dialogue between Jesus and Simon where Simon was asked three times whether he loves Jesus and he answered in the affirmative, as if in reparation for his triple denial of Jesus. Peter denied Jesus three times and was offered three new opportunities to reaffirm his commitment. This is the same way God comes to us daily calling us to reaffirm our commitment and love for Him, but we ignore Him most of the times. He restored Peter’s dignity and placed a responsibility on him to shepherd His flock. We are also entrusted with this responsibility of caring for others especially those entrusted to our care. The Lord is always with us in every difficulty and challenges of life. He is always ready to see us through when we recommit our lives to Him. Like the Apostles who made a miraculous catch of fish, we shall also experience miracles in our lives when we draw closer to Him and love Him with our hearts.

May the Lord help us to open our hearts to be filled with the love of God as to be redeemed by the merits of the mystery of love we celebrate! Amen!! Good morning and happy Sunday!!!