The power of the Resurrection: Homily for Sunday, May 4, 2025

The power of the resurrection changes. It began in the gospel of Luke with a remarkable catch of fish and Peter was called to follow Jesus. Today, in the Gospel of John, after a remarkable catch of fish, Peter is called to lead the Church. Readings for Today.

The power of the Resurrection

One important consideration in learning how to read the bible properly is to learn from the early Church on what exactly was the method of conveying meaning. The best writing is that which helps not just to put together a random set of events or facts, but rather to identify the meaning of the random placement.

And so how did the early Church approach understanding the bible? Perhaps most importantly is that they viewed the bible not as a collection of individual disconnected books, but as one deeply connected story that is primarily about God and his relationship with us. 

I mention this as we consider today’s gospel John chapter twenty-one. This is a biblical chapter where a lot of ink was spilled to attempt to describe and understand it. Much of the time I was in the seminary, the approach was one of an historical critical method. 

What I mean is that the prevailing questions had to do with dissecting the text. What was the historical context? Was Chapter twenty-one written by John, or was it added later? What was meant by the catching of the 153 fish? 

And while these are interesting questions, for centuries these were not the concern of people who studied the bible. I would suggest that the purpose was much more focused on this question. What is it that God is trying to reveal to us about his Son Jesus, Peter and what it means to be the Church?

And so rather than trying to parse the text, perhaps it would be better to seek to find the meaning of the text by seeing how it fits into the narrative of the entire bible.

The first point is that to understand John twenty-one, we have to remember Luke five. “After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing.”

It is after this that Peter is called by Jesus. What happens in John chapter twenty-one? “So 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.” They only recognize Jesus after the miraculous catch, which had to cause Peter and John (the fishermen) to recall this first event.

Toward the end, Jesus asks Peter three times, “do you love me?” Now historical-critical scholarship might focus on the fact that until the third time Jesus asks Peter “Do you love me?” Jesus and Peter use different words to refer to love.

But seeing the bible as a whole, it does not take much effort to recognize that the three-fold affirmation by Peter that he loves Jesus stands in direct contrast to the three times he denied knowing Jesus.

Then, Jesus refers to the way in which Peter will die. This should bring to mind to us the promise of Peter before the death of Jesus that he would die with him. Now Jesus predicts that he will in fact die for him.

All of this shows us precisely what happens to Peter when we consider the power of the Resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Firstly, Peter is fundamentally changed. Not only can he more deeply affirm his love for Jesus, he can learn what it is that Jesus wants him to do. He learns how Jesus wants him to live.

The power of the Resurrection and of the Holy Spirit also means that Peter will have the courage to put everything on the line for his faith. He is now able not only to say he will die with Jesus, but his witness will be clear too.

And we still see the powerful effects of the Resurrection and the Holy Spirit today. We have, over the last nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, recalled many things about Pope Francis. Many see in him an unwavering commitment to the two great commandments. 

So many remember with deep respect, fondness and deep love Pope Francis. For he made us more aware of exactly what it means to love our neighbor. Most especially if our neighbor is on the margins or peripheries of society. 

He modeled for all of us what it means to love our neighbor. He rode the bus with the cardinals after being elected pope. He paid his bill at Casa Santa Marta. He made that residence his living place instead of the Papal apartments. His first days witnessed to simplicity. He hugged a man whose face was covered in tumors. He washed and kissed the feet of prisoners on Holy Thursday.

Portable restrooms were brought to St. Peter’s Square. He took in refugees at the Vatican. He celebrated his birthday with the homeless. He wanted the leaders of the Church to “smell like the sheep.”

Against the advice of some advisors, Pope Francis traveled to Bangui, in the Central African Republic in twenty fifteen. Appealing for peace in a country in the midst of great violence, Pope Francis appeared with Muslim leaders as well.

What Pope Francis taught us, and what the Gospel of John is trying to help us to focus on is that loving God means tending sheep, feeding lambs, feeding sheep. For just as the leaders of the Church who must smell like the sheep, we must we all.

This week, as has happened for centuries the cardinals of the Church will enter conclave to choose a new pope. This is not a process like a political convention, which is what the secular media wants it to be. 

It is a period of discernment. A time where the cardinals of the Church seek to discern just where it is they see the actions of the Holy Spirit guiding the Church today.

We need to do a few things. First, we need to pray for the conclave. We need to pray that all cardinals will vote for the man they believe God wants to be pope. This is not about any one individual vote, but that the breath of the Holy Spirit move among the cardinals in such a way that we receive a holy man as the next pope.

Perhaps more importantly we must live our faith authentically. We must, as did Pope Francis, and countless numbers of saints before us, we must follow the command from God to love God and to love our neighbor. 

And we need to recall the great promise of Jesus. Jesus will not allow the gates of Hell to prevail against the Church, and that Jesus will be with the Church always, even until the end of the age. 

So. Say with me. I believe Lord. Help my unbelief.

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