26 April 2019
Friday in the Octave of Easter
In today’s Gospel I reflect on Jesus’ apparition to his disciples on the lakeshore. Here, even though resurrected, he does not seem to be anything other than an ordinary member of the group. As he always did, he fits in nicely with others, a man at home with others; small talk mixed with divine teaching.
For the satisfaction of his friends at this event he preforms some miraculous deeds, inspiring John to cry out: “It is the Lord”. Shocked, and in his enthusiasm, Peter runs for an encounter.
Then Jesus invites his friends to join him, to sit and eat. He is attentive to their needs. Today he invites so many to join him at the Eucharistic banquet where he can satisfy their deepest needs and they can say when they receive the Eucharist: “It is the Lord”.
Today’s Gospel also tells me that in order to recognize the Resurrected Christ in my daily life, I must pray to see him working marvels in the humdrum events of all I do – and don’t do – so that I too can say: “It is the Lord.” And so, throughout the day I must learn to ask myself: “How attentive am I to the needs of those who come into my life? How many of them do I remember when I receive the Eucharist?