Eastern Africa Dominican Friars

Monday in the Third week of Easter 

Saint for the day: Blessed Caesar de Bus (1544-1607)

Scripture readings for today's liturgy:

Acts 6:8-15

Psalm 119

John 6:22-29

“Jesus said, ‘… you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate the loves and were filled. Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life.” (John 6:25)

In yesterday’s reflection on the classic Gospel of – “Peter, do you love me … 3X” I pointed out that Jesus used two different forms of the world “love.”

Today, the Gospel seems to challenge us to look beyond our first impressions to the deeper meaning of what it means to “look for the food that endures for eternal life.” A parallel to this might be a phrase that was popular years ago in regard to helping the poor: “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for one day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll have food forever.”

Are we beggars or followers of Jesus? Here in Kenya I certainly have my share of beggars who often come at me with their sad, often made-up stories asking for help to “make it through the day.” I don’t find it easy to sift through all their stated needs to give them something that will help them more than just a fish for a day.

Many saints down through the ages have reportedly lived on only a little water and the Eucharist each day which is an extreme way of following Jesus that is not necessarily the way for all of us. But it does call us to look for and seek the more perfect way of being disciples.

Nobody said it was easy to follow Jesus. We’ll see what happened to Stephen in tomorrows reading from the Acts and we know from our recent “Lenten Journey” that we must “pick up our cross” to follow Him. On the way, however, try not to become a beggar but work on becoming a follower. Amen!

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Third Sunday of Easter 

Saint for the day: Blessed Peter Gonzalez (d. 1246)

Scripture readings for today's liturgy:

Acts 5:27-32, 40-41

Psalm 30

Revelations 5:11-14

John 21:1-19

“Peter, do you love me? Sally, do you love me? Daniel do you love me? And we respond, “Lord, you know all about me … and still you love me.” (a paraphrase of the words from today’s Holy Gospel)

I’m sorry that our liturgists have given the option of dropping off this ending to today’s Holy Gospel – even if it was thought to have been added in by the early Church. At least they’re not doing it for the sake of expediency or time!

Most people – myself included – would be able to see the dramatic impact that this scene on the shore of the lake has to complete all the drama from the condemnation of Jesus to His resurrection and appearances to the disciples.

The disciples are discouraged and disappointed and they take the natural course to elevate their sadness: they go back to what they know. Fishing. They seem to have forgotten Jesus’ invitation to “Come, follow me” and they go back to what they know and have some control over rather than take a chance to follow a dream that seems to have gone astray.

But “going back” is never the answer ‘cause it’s never the same as we remember it. They went back to fishing but they were unsuccessful and caught nothing all night. When Jesus says try again, but on the other side of the boat, I’m sure they thought, “What does this guy know about fishing.” Yet it’s when they trust the unknown that they find the miracle.

I’m curious how the “prosperity Gospel preachers” will deal with this Gospel since their stand would be to cash in on the miraculous catch of fish and go out and buy a second vacation home!

But that’s not where our Gospel ends and John has Jesus ask Peter if he loves Him. Three times! And each time he leads Peter into a deeper level of “following:” feed my lambs; tend my sheep; feed my sheep. Jesus is giving Peter a full-time job description: take care of all the people you encounter. Tend to them and feed them.

In our English translation we only hear the use of one word, “Simon Peter do you love me more than these?” But Jesus uses two different words: the first time he says, “… do you agape me (love me in a lay down your life me for sort of way) with Peter’s response still, “ … I phileo you” (love you in a familiar or brotherly way.) Then a second time Jesus ask, again, “… do you agape me?” and Peter again answers, “ … I phileo you.” The third time Jesus asks the question he comes down to Peter’s level and ask him, “ … do you phileo me?” showing that Jesus/God can always meet us where we’re at! I like that. Amen!

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Saturday in the 2^nd week of Easter 

Saint for the day: St. Martin I (d. 655)

Scripture readings for today's liturgy:

Acts 6:1-7

Psalm 33

John 6:16-21

In the storm-tossed sea Jesus appears to the disciples and says, “It is I. Do not be afraid.” (from today’s Holy Gospel: John 6:20)

In today’s brief Gospel it is important for us to understand two factors that are often missed: firstly, the ancients fear of water. The memory of the Old Testament deluge was well known to the people at the time of Jesus and the depts. of the sea harbored a home for Leviathan – a dreaded sea monster. So, being caught in a storm meant that the evil monster was about to get his dinner!

Secondly, most of us miss the deeper meaning of the identifying words of Jesus, “It is I.” For the disciples they would have known that Jesus’ use of that phrase was what Moses heard at the burning bush when he asks the name of God: “I AM.”

John uses this term throughout his Gospel to be sure that we understand that Jesus is the Son of God – and not just a cleaver rabbi or teacher. When John says that Jesus appeared “walking on the water” he is making sure that we understand that it is Jesus who saves us. Notice that he doesn’t part the waters like Moses did but rather has total control over the elements of nature.

Then, in a flash, the disciples are on the shore safe and sound. But it is also worthy for us to understand that Jesus doesn’t do away with the sea and its dangers – which would unravel the balance of nature but makes a way out that danger.

In the first Scripture reading from the Acts the early Church members don’t do away with widows and orphans but, rather, find a way to bring them out of the danger of starvation. When I quote St. Thomas Aquinas saying, “grace builds on nature” I also hope you get the realization that God doesn’t just wave His hand eliminating problems willy-nilly but gives us the opportunity to be an extension of His creative works by bringing our lives into balance with the world around us. So many of the problems in the world – even since the beginning of time – can be attributed in some way to our miss use of the gifts that God has given us. We regret that a sudden landslide has wiped out a whole town and forget that we were the ones who cut down all the trees for lumber – upsetting that gentle balance of nature. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see where so many of our problems stem from. That’s enough for you to think about for today. Amen!

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Friday in the 2^nd week of Easter 

Saint for the day: St. Teresa of Los Andes (1900-1920)

Scripture readings for today's liturgy:

Acts 5:34-42

Psalm 27

John 6:1-15

“One thing I ask of the Lord this I seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate his temple.”   (today’s Responsorial Psalm 27)

The Scripture verses noted above are familiar to me since these are the words that were printed on the Holy Card commemorating my First Profession of Vows in 1961. If we went on in this Psalm the next verse is also important: “For he will hide me in his shetler in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent and set me high upon a rock.

This reassuring image is up against a very different scene in today’s Gospel Scripture of the feeding of the multitude on the hillside. There are so many subtleies in this Gospel passage that are often missed when read during the liturgy. Don’t think that I am “nit-picking” when I bring these points up. I’m just trying to allow the images that John has included in this passage to bloom into the beautiful flower of God’s Holy Word.

In the first place John says, “there were about 5,000 men” and it’s not inconceivable that they brought their wives and 1.5 children with them so that there probably about 15,000 persons on that hillside. I think that John wants to be sure we know that there was a huge crowd … and Jesus saw to their need for food. When Jesus asks them to sit down on the grass – a position that wealthy people would never do – He is pointing out that He comes to bring good news to the poor. Then there’s the matter of the “barley loves” – the poorest of the grains usually only fed to animals.

“Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, blessed it broke it and gave it to them” … and they had their fill. It’s not accidental that these same words are used in the Mass where we then say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof …” Yet He DOES!

As you can see, this Gospel Scripture is jam-packed with all kinds of meaning and we are called to peal away each leaf like getting to the heart of an artichoke!

And I hope you don’t fall into the trap of some who would say that all Jesus did was to convience the people who were all hoarding their own food to share it. Jesus did a miracle!   And they were all fed and then found out what the essence of His message was all about: the abundance of God’s love for His poor.

Then, in order that we know of the on-going abundance of God’s love for us the word used for “the gathering up of the fragments” came to be the same word, "synaxes" used for the gathering of the broken the People of God for Mass.

Now, go back and read the Gospel again and see if you don’t come away with a deeper understanding of the abundant love God has for all of us! Amen!

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I’d like to hear from you to know that you’re getting these reflections. Use this link to go to my "home page" where you’ll find more stories and pictures along with a link to e-mail me: