Do you love me . . . Feed my sheep!

Dear brothers and sisters,

May God give you peace!

See our 3^rd Sunday of Easter C, English Mass readings, on April 14, 2013, below.  God bless!

Fr. Yosi, OFM

First Reading: Acts of the Apostles 5:27-32, 40b-41

27When they had brought them in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them,  28 "We gave you strict orders (did we not?) to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man's blood upon us."  29But Peter and the apostles said in reply, "We must obey God rather than men.  30The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree.  31God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins.  32We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit that God has given to those who obey him.” 40After recalling the apostles, they had them flogged, ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.  41So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. 

Responsorial Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11, 12-13

Response: I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

2 I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
4 O LORD, you brought me up from the netherworld;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. ( R )

5 Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
6 For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.

11 At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing. ( R )

12 Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.
13 You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks. ( R )

Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14

11 I, John, looked again and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number, 12and they cried out in a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing."  13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: "To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever."  14The four living creatures answered, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Gospel Reading: John 21:1-19

1At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way.  2Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.  3Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.  4When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.  5Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.”  6So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.  7So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea.  8The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.  9When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.  10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”  11So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.  12Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord.  13Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish.  14This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.  15When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love (fileo) you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”  16He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (agapao) me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love (fileo) you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”  17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love (fileo) me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love (fileo) me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love (fileo) you.” (Jesus) said to him, “Feed my sheep.  18Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  19 He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”