Friday, May 2, 2025

3rd Sunday Easter - Miraculous Catch of Fish & Feed my Lambs


In the Gospel today, after spending the entire night on the boat fishing and not catching anything, then in the early in morning, Jesus appeared to them on the shore of the lake, but they didn’t recognize Him. He told them to throw the fishing nets off the side of the boat. When they did, the apostles caught 153 fish. Doesn’t it make you wonder how they knew the exact number of fish? Obviously, they counted them, like any good fisherman would.

Do you think any of the Apostles prayed that night on the boat, asking God to help them catch fish? I doubt it.

I am sure most of you have gone fishing before, and before you went fishing, did you ask Jesus to help you catch fish? I’ll suspect not. But, why not? Jesus wants us to come to Him for everything, including catching fish to eat. No matter how small or how large our need, we should come to Jesus for everything. He wants us to completely depend upon Him.

The resurrection appearance of Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, shows us, that He cares about the Apostles and us. It shows us that He appointed one man to guide and lead the Catholic Church, who is its chief shepherd.

It was by the miracle of catching many fish, that John was the first to recognize Jesus, and that is why John said, “It’s the Lord!”

John was sensitive to the Lord’s amazing miracles.

John knew Jesus well, and understood only Jesus would have miraculously placed the fish near the boat, and then tell them to throw the net in the location of the fish to catch them.

When they came ashore with the great haul of fish, they noticed Jesus prepared breakfast for them. He was cooking fish over a charcoal fire and had bread for them too.

Have you ever had breakfast with Jesus? Have ever invited Jesus to eat breakfast with you or any other meal? Why not? When we pray before meals, why not invite Jesus to be with us when we eat breakfast?

Jesus cared that the Apostles were hungry after a long night of fishing. He cared that they were disappointed in not catching anything. He specifically showed His care for Peter, giving Peter the opportunity to make up for his three denials that happened before the cock crowed after Jesus was arrested.

Our Lord never chastised Peter for denying Him three times. But, He allowed Peter to make up for what he did, by telling Jesus that he loves Him three times.

If somebody were to hurt you three times, wouldn’t you be angry? Wouldn’t you probably bring up the incident and tell the person that they hurt your feelings?

But that’s not what Jesus did. Rather, He asked Peter, the same question three times. “Peter, do you love me?” Each time Peter responds,Yes, Lord you know that I love you.” Jesus tells Him, “Feed my lambs, tend my sheep. Feed my sheep.”

Not only did Jesus lovingly help Peter to make up for the three denials, but also showed His confidence in Peter and commissioned him to take care of the Church.

By telling Peter to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, and feed His sheep, He was helping Peter to understand that he is the chief shepherd of the Church, for isn’t that what a shepherd does, feeds, and tends the sheep and lambs?

It is therefore, the pope’s duty to feed the people, who are the sheep, with sound doctrine and teachings. That is why it is the chief role of the pope to teach, to clarify, and to proclaim the faith, because by doing so, the people are fed with the Word of God, which helps them to get to the green pastures of heaven.

Most likely, by the end of the week, we will have a new pope. Let us earnestly pray to Jesus asking Him to give us a good shepherd, who will truly clarify, teach, and proclaim the faith passed down to us from Jesus and the Apostles.

This weekend is our Eucharistic festival. It all starts at 4pm with two priests hearing Confessions (Fr. Michael Kerchen and myself), at 4:50pm, Fr. Michael will give a 10 minute talk on the Eucharist. At 5pm, we will have a special Mass at 6pm.

Then we will have hamburgers and hot-dogs at the parish hall and watch a Eucharistic video “Jesus Thirsts”. After the video, about 7:45pm, we will have a Eucharistic Procession and then go the farm of Jon and Laurie for Adoration Under the Stars from 9pm to 10pm.

Amazingly, by God’s providence, this weekend the book 33 Days of Eucharistic Glory arrived. There are 60 copies, please take one with you.

Before Mass, children brought up flowers to give to the Virgin Mary and we honored Her by singing a hymn to Our Lady while a little girl crowned Her. The beautiful poem that was read was often quoted by Bishop Fulton Sheen.

Lovely Lady dressed in blue. Teach me how to pray! [Jesus] was just your little boy, Tell me what to say!” etc...

As we begin the month of May, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, let us honor our heavenly Mother, by daily kneeling before a statue or image of Her, praying Her Rosary, beseeching Her to place Her mantle over us, to protect us, and let us ask Her to take our petitions to Jesus, knowing through Her motherly intercession, Jesus will more quickly answer our prayers.

The Virgin Mary, keep us close to Her Eucharistic Son and help us to love, honor, respect and adore Jesus, truly and really present in the most blessed Sacrament. And may today’s Eucharistic festival, pour out an abundance of graces for you, your family, our community, and the whole world.




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