How will you show that you have opted for light over darkness? Acts 5:17-26; Jn 3:16-21

The first verse of today’s text is one of the most well known verses in the entire Bible. It speaks of the unconditional love of God which was made visible and tangible in sending his Son into the world. This was a free gift of God which was accepted by some but rejected by others. The sending of the Son was so that all may have eternal life. The primary purpose of sending the Son was not to condemn, but to save. Yet, every person is free to decide whether he/she wants this free gift. Acceptance of the gift of the Son of God results in salvation, rejection means that one condemns oneself.

Though the light has come, and people should normally have opted for it, some preferred the dark. The reason why they did is because they did not want either their deeds or their person to be exposed. Fear ruled their hearts. Those who opted for the light opted for freedom and love.

It is unthinkable that God would choose the manner of salvation that he did when he sent his Son to save. God could have, like he did in the past, sent yet another messenger or even a message. Yet, he opted for the most extreme of measures when he sent a part of himself. It is even more stunning that this son was sent, not to judge, but to draw people to God through love and forgiveness. The primary task of Jesus, as his name suggests, was to be salvation to all. The all inclusive nature of this salvation, and its availability to the whole human race, is something that is possible only for God.

Have you been tempted to give up or give in when things do not go the way you want them to go? Will you see in the cross you are carrying your own exaltation? Acts 4:32-37; Jn 3:7-15

The text of today repeats the last two verses of yesterday in order to situate the question that Nicodemus asks in the following verse. To Jesus’ statement that it is necessary for a person to be born of water and the spirit, or from above, and that this birth, like the wind/spirit is a mystery that cannot be fully grasped, Nicodemus responds with amazement. His question once again begins with “How”. This indicates the limits that Nicodemus sets even before any revelation can be made to him. This is the last time that Nicodemus will speak. He begins with “How” and ends with “How”. He does not seem to have been able to go to the deeper meaning and mystery to which Jesus was taking him. Though he is a teacher himself, he has refused to learn and so, cannot understand.

Through the monologue that follows, Jesus renews the offer of new birth through his death, resurrection, and ascension. The “we” of Jesus, in the Gospel context, stands for Jesus, John the Baptist, and the disciples of John, who followed Jesus and witnessed to him. These witnesses speak from their own experience; what they know, they say. If Nicodemus is not able to understand the simple things, like being born from above and with water and the spirit, how will he able to understand even greater mysteries than this? Jesus alone has the authority to make the revelation of heavenly things since he has come from heaven. He has the power on earth to reveal things of heaven. In 3:14, for the first time, we come across what may be regarded as a passion, resurrection, and ascension prediction in the Gospel of John. Jesus will be lifted up/exalted, just as Moses lifted up/exalted the bronze serpent in the wilderness. The word “hupsoo’ can mean “lift up” or exalt”. Thus, while the word might indicate the physical act of “lifting up” the cross beam at the time of his crucifixion, it can also mean his “exaltation”. Thus, in his crucifixion, Jesus will also be exalted, yet there is no exaltation apart from the crucifixion. The consequence of believing in Jesus lifted up/exalted is eternal life, which here means a life lived in the constant presence of God.

It is significant that for the Gospel of John, the very act of the crucifixion is also seen as the act of the resurrection and ascension. Jesus dies, but only to be raised to life and ascend to the Father. This insight is extremely important for our lives as well, because it means that, if we accept it, our lives will never be the same again.

It says to us that, even when we are in extremely difficult situations and there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel, God continues to be there with us. It says to us that, at moments when we think all is lost and we have no hope, we must not give up or give in. It says to us that, even at those times when we cannot fully understand why things happen the way they do and we are tempted to throw in the towel, God continues to offer hope and consolation.

Have you, like Nicodemus, set limits on what God can and cannot do? Will you open yourself to “mystery” today? How will you show through three actions today that you are born from above? Acts 4:23-31; Jn 3:1-8

The first twenty one verses of Chapter 3 contain the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus and a discourse of Jesus. The text of today contains the dialogue.

The first verse introduces Nicodemus as a Pharisee and leader of the Jews. While on the one hand, Nicodemus comes to Jesus and indicates a desire to seek and find, on the other hand, he comes at night. Night, in the Gospel of John, is used in opposition to light and represents separation from the presence of God.

Nicodemus begins the dialogue by making a statement about Jesus’ identity. In addressing Jesus as “Rabbi” (Teacher) he acknowledges Jesus right to teach. He goes even further in acknowledging that Jesus is God’s emissary. However, this affirmation is based on the signs that he has witnessed and Jesus does not entrust himself to those whose faith is based on signs. Nicodemus does not realize that what he has says about the origins of Jesus has a much deeper meaning than the one he means. Jesus is not merely an emissary of God, but has his origin in God. The “we’ of Nicodemus is to indicate that he does not speak for himself alone, but for the community that he represents.

Jesus does not respond directly to Nicodemus’s acknowledgement of him, but challenges him with a teaching of depth. Jesus’ used of the Greek word “anothen” is a classic case of double meaning with which the Gospel of John abounds. In this technique, Jesus uses a word which can have two meanings. The listener always picks the base or literal meaning while Jesus means the deeper meaning. “Anothen” can mean “from above” or “again”. By use of this word, Jesus challenges Nicodemus to move from the base or surface meaning to the deeper meaning and understanding. Nicodemus does not make this move and interprets the word at its surface level. Thus, he sets limits on what is and is not possible. He questions the possibility of a person entering his/her mother’s womb since he interprets “to be born anothen” to mean “to be born again”. Jesus, however, speaks of a radical new birth from above.

To explain further what he means, Jesus uses another set of images; “water and the spirit”. This is an indication that, while on the one hand, entry into the kingdom will require physical birth, through water, it will also require more. It will require a spiritual birth, by the spirit. Entry into the kingdom will require being born from above or by water and the spirit. Like the wind/spirit which blows where it wills and can be felt and heard but not seen, so is birth by the spirit a mystery that cannot be comprehended fully by finite minds.

There are two related points that this text invites us to reflect on. The first of these is the attitude of Nicodemus when he comes to Jesus. His opening “We know” is already an indication that he has come with preconceived notions and not with openness. It also indicates that he is of the opinion that he does not need to learn anything. This is a dangerous attitude for one to have. Learning never ends. While books, experiences, and the like teach us a number of things, there are many things that we still do not know. We need to realize this and, with this realization, must come an openness and desire to learn.

The second and related point is the questions that Nicodemus asks. His closed attitude prompts him to set limits on what God can and cannot do and his “we know’ soon takes the form of “How can”. He is unwillingly to let God be God. His categories are all well defined and no amount of explanation will break through them.  Sadly, he starts with “How can’ and ends with the same words.

Will you make Jesus present today? Acts 4:32-35; 1 Jn 5:1-6; Jn 20:19-31

All three readings of today are a call to action. This action is to make God in Jesus known in, and to, the world. If, in the Gospel, the action is referred to as the forgiveness and retention of sin, in the first reading, the action is communal and self sacrificing living.  In the second reading, the action is keeping the commandment of love. These are different symbols and images to refer to the same central idea.

The Gospel of today can be seen to be divided into two parts. The first concerns the appearance of the risen Jesus to the disciples, without Thomas present, and the second, the appearance of Jesus when Thomas is present. The first appearance takes place on the Sunday of the resurrection. Fear is the primary emotion in the hearts of the disciples before Jesus appears to them. The sign of this fear is evident in the closed doors. However, this is not a hindrance for the risen Jesus. He comes, even through closed doors, and greets the disciples with words of peace. Jesus shows them his hands and his side which indicates that there is continuity between Jesus who was crucified and died and Jesus present now in his risen body. Also, he continues to make himself present in and through his wounds. The repetition of the greeting of peace, after the disciples recognize him, is an indication that the disciples can receive the greeting of peace, as a gift, only after they have recognized Jesus. This gift of peace embraces all aspects of life and thus, has to do with wholeness. It includes justice, mercy, and kindness.

The gift of peace, which is not meant to be kept to oneself, leads to the commissioning of the disciples. The disciples who share Jesus’ peace also share in his mission. As Jesus received his mission from the Father, so the disciples receive their mission from Jesus. As a sign of the commissioning, Jesus breathes on them and gifts them with the Holy Spirit. The act of breathing on the disciples indicates that they have now become a new creation and reminds us of the breath of God on Adam and the first creation. The Holy Spirit, who continues the work of Jesus, will accompany the disciples on their mission of forgiving and retaining sin. This mission does not refer to the Sacrament of reconciliation but to the broader idea of making God known in Jesus. The mission of the disciples is to reveal Jesus in all that they say and do. They are not called to be arbiters of right and wrong, but to always do right and, in so doing, bring people to judgment. People must look at the actions of the disciples and realize, through them, how far they are from the kingdom made visible in Jesus.

This is exactly how the first Christian community understood its mission as is explicitly stated in the reading from the Acts of the Apostles. They lived lives worthy of their call. Their lives were in imitation of the life of Jesus and so were unselfish lives. Despite being from different backgrounds and having diverse views, they were still of one heart and one mind. This enabled them, not only to bring people to judgment, but also to draw them to Jesus and his mission. The number of people who wanted to be Christian kept increasing because of the example set by the lives of the disciples.

This is the example that John invites his community to keep giving. The example will continue to be given as long as the community shows, in action, the love they have received. The Spirit which Jesus breathed on the disciples is the same Spirit which will keep helping and guiding them in this mission.

However, this was not easy, as even the first disciples realized and as is evident in the scene with Thomas.  Though many refer to Thomas as “doubting”, this noun is not apt for two reasons. First, nowhere in the text is Thomas referred to as “doubting” and second, we need to consider why Thomas was not able to recognize, in the disciples’ words, that Jesus had indeed appeared to them. Was it possibly because Thomas did not see the transformation in their lives that an appearance of Jesus ought to have brought? Was it possibly that, though they claimed through their words that Jesus had appeared, they did not show it in their actions? Was it possibly that they were the same as before in every way? While these are plausible reasons, what is important to note is that Jesus does appear to Thomas and it is this gracious offer on the part of Jesus that leads Thomas to his confession of faith. Jesus is indeed Lord and God because the Father is revealed in him.

The words of Jesus to Thomas contain a related promise that belief in him will not be limited to those who see what Thomas has seen. Thus, seeing Jesus is not a prerequisite for faith.  Instead, faith in Jesus makes him present. The question that we need to ask ourselves is whether we, who profess to be Christian, are continuing today the mission inaugurated by Jesus and continued by the first Christian community. Do we continue to make Jesus present today?

Do you prefer to sit on the fence or do you take a stand on issues? When you are unable to do something and someone offers a suggestion, how do you respond? Do you reject it outright because you think you know it all, or do you try it out? Can you accept the differences of others easily, or do they have to be like you to be accepted? Acts 4:1-12; Jn 21:1-14

Most scholars today see Jn 21:1-25 as a later addition to the Gospel of John. It is not clear whether this material was added by the Evangelist or added later by another redactor or editor. It is true that the language of Chapter 21 differs from the rest of John’s Gospel but, it is also true that all existing manuscripts of John contain Chapter 21. The difference in language is explained as being conditioned by the content and not because someone other than the Evangelist wrote it. Yet, some are clear that, because of the ecclesial concerns which are at the forefront in Chapter 21, and which are not the focuses of the Gospel until Chapter 20, it was added later. Others see the ecclesial concerns as essential to the ending of the Gospel and so, regard Chapter 21 as an integral part of the Gospel. Be that as it may, Chapter 21 is now part of the Gospel and so must be interpreted within the framework of the whole Gospel of John.

There are two parts to this post resurrection story. The first deals with the miraculous catch of fish and the second with the recognition of the risen Lord.

The text begins by informing the reader that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples and then goes on to narrate how this revelation took place. The story is thus to be interpreted as an epiphany. Seven disciples are mentioned, of which only three are named. The beloved disciple, who is mentioned later in the narrative, is one of the seven. The activity of fishing on the part of the disciples, even after they had received the commission from the risen Lord in Chapter 20, may be seen as a sign that they had not obeyed the command.  It might be seen as a sign that they had given up and returned to their former way of life or even as an indication of their aimlessness. This means that an appearance of the risen Lord, and even a command from him, is not enough to cause a transformation in one’s outlook to life. One must be willing to take risks and believe.

The response of the other six to Peter’s statement that he is going fishing is to go with him. This indicates a sense of community and oneness. Though they may not be able to fully understand the significance of going fishing at this crucial time, they will collaborate with Peter. They will pull together. However, despite all their efforts, they are not able to achieve anything. Jesus appears unobtrusively when it is light, and asks a question about the catch. They respond that they have caught nothing. They obey Jesus’ command to cast the net on the right side and are successful. The quantity of fish is so great that they struggle to haul in the net.

The second part of the story narrates the recognition of the risen Lord. The miraculous catch seems to be the reason why the beloved disciple is able to recognize that it is the Lord. Here, too, like at the empty tomb (20:8), he is able to recognize through his intuition. Peter responds to this statement with alacrity, though his desire to be clothed and therefore, respectful, restrains him. The other disciples respond soberly.

The enormity of the catch is detailed in the number of fish caught, namely one hundred fifty three. A variety of interpretations have been offered to explain this number. St. Augustine proposed a mathematical way of reading this number which is regarded even today as plausible. His explanation was that the number 153 is obtained when all of the integers from 1 to 17 are added together; this mathematical fact thus suggests the completeness of the number 153. Others regard the number as clearly indicating that the narration of this event is an eyewitness account of what actually happened. This is why the number is not a round number, but 153. Still another interpretation is that 153 was the number of species of fish known to Greek zoologists of that time and thus, it signifies that every kind or species of fish was caught in the net. This symbolizes that no one is excluded. That the net did not break, despite the fact that there were so many fish, is an indication of unity even in diversity. That this seems to be the best explanation is confirmed by the fact that the verb “to haul” used here of Peter’s hauling the net ashore is the same verb used to describe those who come to Jesus from God (6:44).  It is the same verb that is used to describe the salvific effect of Jesus’ death when he will “draw’ (haul) all people to himself (12:32). Thus, the disciples continue the mission of Jesus even when they fish, by drawing all to him.

Since the disciples “know’ it is the Lord they do not ask him his identity. Jesus plays the host and invites them to dine with him.

At least three significant points are made by this text. The first is that there is no guarantee that, just because a person has “seen” and “heard” Jesus, he/she will obey his commands or continue his mission. It is possible that, even after such an experience, one will continue in the old ways.

Second, any mission that is undertaken without the help of the Lord will rarely meet with success as is evident in the disciples’ failure to catch anything, even after all their strenuous efforts. Sometimes, it is the words of a stranger that result in the transformation of a situation. To hear these words, it is important to be as open and receptive as the disciples were though they did not know who that stranger was. If the disciples, instead of listening to what the stranger was saying, had acted arrogantly and with pride, they would never have made the miraculous catch and may never have encountered Jesus.

Third, exclusivity has no place in any mission that has its roots in Jesus’ mission. All are included and all are welcome. Even more, each retains his/her identity and is still very much a part of the whole. There is no need for uniformity in the family of Jesus, but unity is very much a core value.

Have you received the forgiveness that Jesus proclaimed? How will you preach this forgiveness today? Acts 3:11-26; Lk 24:35-48

These verses contain the appearance of the risen Jesus to the eleven and their companions.  Luke’s account has parallels with the accounts found in Matthew, Mark, and John.  Here, too, like in the Emmaus story, the disciples are unable to recognize Jesus. When Jesus appears to them and greets them with a wish of peace, they think they are seeing a ghost and so, are frightened and terrified. Jesus’ response to these emotions is to ask why they are frightened and why doubts must arise.  In order to prove to them that it is indeed he, Jesus shows them his hands and feet and invites them to touch him. This is to prove that he is not a spirit which has no flesh and bones. Despite this invitation, they continue to doubt. Jesus then asks them for something to eat.  He eats what they give him, in front of them. This gesture results in portraying the reality of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Yet, Luke does not explicitly state that the disciples believed, even after seeing Jesus eat.

Jesus does something more. He explains to them, like he did to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the scriptures and the things concerning him that the scriptures had foretold. Scripture could only be fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus. After this, he commissions them to be witnesses of this fact and through it, the gift of forgiveness of sins to all nations, which will begin in Jerusalem.

Thus, the text which began with the doubt and confusion of the disciples ends with them being made witnesses of the bodily resurrection of Jesus.  They are witnesses that his death and resurrection have resulted in salvation and forgiveness of sins for all humankind.

The points that Luke seems to want to make here are first, that Jesus has indeed been raised, and bodily, and second, that the disciples who will proclaim this fact were eye witnesses to this event.  It was not simply an event that took place beyond history (though the resurrection, as such, is a meta-historical event) but happened in space and in time, was real, and witnessed by the disciples who saw the risen Lord.

The hands and feet that Jesus showed his disciples are visible today in each of us who claim to be his disciples. These are to be shown to the world as “proof” not only of the fact that Jesus is alive, but that in his name, forgiveness is even now being preached. It is significant that the content of the preaching, even after the resurrection of Jesus, is to be forgiveness, because that is why Jesus came into the world; to save people from their sins. This forgiveness can be preached and made real only if we bear witness to it through our lives.