| Reuben's Sermon
for the Third Sunday of Easter: (Year C): |
| Reuben's Theme: "Not like that... ...Like That!" |
| (Easter 3 - year C) - MORNING
MASS 0800hrs. and 0930hrs at Saint George's Parish Church - Cullercoats. Sunday, 29th. April 2001 Anno Domini. |
| Morning Mass: Acts: 9.6-20 Ps: 30 Revelation: 5.11-14 John: 21.1-19 |
| April 29th, 2001 Cycle C Easter 3. |
| Morning Masses: FIRST READING (morning Mass) Acts 9.1-6, (7-20) A reading from the Acts of the Apostles. 1 Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 5 He asked, 'Who are you, Lord?' The reply came, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.' 7 The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' He answered, 'Here I am, Lord.' 11 The Lord said to him, 'Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' 13 But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.' 15 But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16 I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' 17 So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, 'He is the Son of God.' Psalm: 30 (morning Mass) R R I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up. or R R You have made me, Lord, as strong as the mountains. 1 I will exalt you, O Lord, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried out to you, and you restored me to health. 3 You brought me up, O Lord, from the dead; you restored my life as I was going down to the grave. R R 4 Sing to the Lord, you servants of his; give thanks for the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his wrath endures but the twinkling of an eye, his favour for a lifetime. 6 Weeping may spend the night, but joy comes in the morning. R R 7 While I felt secure, I said, 'I shall never be disturbed. You, Lord, with your favour, made me as strong as the mountains.' 8 Then you hid your face, and I was filled with fear. R R 9 I cried to you, O Lord; I pleaded with the Lord, saying, 10 'What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness? 11 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy upon me; O Lord, be my helper.' R R 12 You have turned my wailing into dancing; you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy; 13 Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing; O Lord my God, I will give you thanks for ever. R R SECOND READING (morning Mass) Revelation 5.11-14 A reading from the book of Revelation. 11 I, John, looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!' 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, 'To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might for ever and ever!' 14 And the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' And the elders fell down and worshipped. GOSPEL (morning Mass) John 21.1-19 Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. 1 Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, 'I am going fishing.' They said to him, 'We will go with you.' They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. 4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, 'Children, you have no fish, have you?' They answered him, 'No.' 6 He said to them, 'Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.' So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord!' When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the lake. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off. 9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, 'Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.' 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, 'Who are you?' because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. 15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' 16 A second time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Tend my sheep.' 17 He said to him the third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' And he said to him, 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.' 19 He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God. After this he said to him, 'Follow me.' |
| Reuben's Theme: "Not like that... ...Like That!" |
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Ý In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. There's a question I often like to ask people. The answer often tells me much about that person. If you were given the chance to meet, and talk with, any person who lived on Earth and is mentioned in the Bible... ...who would it be? I've heard many answers to this question and although many people come up with some wonderful suggestions, the majority say 'Jesus'. Much as I would love to (and I really would love to) I would not choose Jesus. I know all I need to know from what He has already told us. If I could meet, and talk with, anyone who lived on Earth who is mentioned in the Bible, I am always torn between choosing either Peter or Paul. Peter... ...this ordinary fisherman, who we know so well. Paul... ...the intellectual businessman, very learned, highly educated (and very thorough). Peter... ...this very eager disciple who tried so hard to get it right (and sometimes got it wrong). Paul... ...the man who would take control and organise things... ...the man who would use logic to sort out problems (and also sometimes got it wrong). Peter... ...the disciple who, despite his enormous faith, was to give in to human fear, and deny Jesus, three times. Paul... ...the man responsible for the systematic ethnic cleansing of Christians in Jerusalem (including the death of Saint Stephen) yet went on to become one the most enthusiastic and arguably one of the most important evangelists and theologians of all time. Today's readings, once again, throw my unlikely
heroes together. Luke gives us a description of "a light from heaven flashing around Saul" and the voice of Jesus saying, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" and directing him to go to the city where he would be, "told what to do." Luke also tells us that Saul was blinded until he met Ananias when "something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored." Luke was making a point! Skilfully using metaphors, he tells this very important story of Saul's conversion, very powerfully. This does not diminish the importance, or power of the story in any way. What happened (like a flash of light) was that suddenly Saul started to understand what it was all about. He had the intelligence and intellect to know that something big was going on here, but he could not make sense of it. He could not put the pieces together... ...He was blind. He had to go to the Damascus, and knew that something would happen there. What? He did not know. He was so confused (trying desperately to work it out) that he neither ate or drank. Ananias, a disciple, hears of Saul's arrival
in Damascus. Ananias knows all about Saul. To Ananias, Saul is a very dangerous man! Yet despite the obvious danger, and the fact that he does not want to, he is moved to go to him. Ananias manages to find Saul. Saul knew Ananias would find him. With Ananias' help, Saul now has what he needs to know what it's all about. He is filled with the Holy Spirit. Saul is baptised. He immediately begins to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying "He is the Son of God!" Time after time, as the story of Paul's conversion unfolds, we have powerful evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit working. Paul is a very cleaver and intellectual man. He worked it out for himself. But without the power of the Spirit he wouldn't have had a chance and through Jesus he found the right path. Paul goes on to be the first Christian Theologian and his letters are amongst the most important theological documents the Christian Church has ever had. Jesus showed him the way! The only way to salvation is through Jesus. Only through Jesus can he get it right.
Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and a couple of others were sitting around by the sea of Tiberias. They were depressed, had no direction in their lives and did not know what they were going to do. It reminds me of a scene in the Walt Disney film of the Jungle Book. The three vultures sitting around.. "What 'wer gonna do?" "I don't know... What you wanna do?" "I don't know!" Suddenly, bless him, Peter, decides. "I'm going fishing!" "We'll go with you," they replied. And they did... ...but they caught nothing. By the morning they were fairly miffed, when someone, standing on the beach calls to them, "Children, you have no fish, have you?" (There's nothing like rubbing it in, is there?) Politely they reply, "No." The stranger on the beach calls out to them, "Cast your net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some!" They must me thinking to themselves, "Does this guy know something we don't, or is he just some weirdo?" But by now they have decided, "What's the harm". So they cast the nets to the right. Now they have another problem. They catch so many fish that they can't pull the net in. The disciple Jesus loved says to Peter, "It's the Lord!" Peter, impulsive as ever, ends up swimming to the shore and is first to meet our Risen Lord, the others return with the boat, dragging the full net of fish to the shore. They all have breakfast together and after breakfast Jesus says to Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" Peter immediately responds, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." Jesus tells him, "Feed my lambs." Then Jesus says, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter responds, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you!" Jesus tells him, "Tend my sheep." Again Jesus says, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter, now rather hurt and upset, replies yet again, "Lord, You know everything; you know that I love you!" and Jesus tells him again, "Feed my sheep." Jesus then goes on to tell him that although he will grow to be an old man, he will be imprisoned and eventually die in prison (talk about good news and bad news). Let me leave you with another story: Peter and the disciples are sitting around, lost and without direction. Jesus has risen from the dead and appeared on several occasions, but the Holy Spirit has not yet come upon them. Peter says, "I'm going to spread the word and recruit more disciples!" "We'll come with you!" the others reply, and they all set out and did their best, but without direction they failed dismally. Jesus appears to them, but they don't recognise Him at first. Jesus shows them the right way, and as they suddenly find their numbers are growing faster than they can cope with, the disciple Jesus loved recognises Jesus, and tells Peter. Peter rushes to him, the others following on with the new recruits. They all have breakfast together and Jesus reminds Peter that he is only human, and even though he denied Jesus three times, he is forgiven and still worthy to be the leader of the Church in the World. Jesus even goes on to assure him that he will live till old age (even though he will be imprisoned and die in captivity). Given direction the disciples are successful. Given direction from Jesus you can't go wrong. Only through Jesus can we get it right. People say that preachers should spread the Good News. What better news can I give you? Jesus shows us the way! The only way to salvation is through Jesus!! Follow Jesus, do what he tells us and we will be saved!!! Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! ALLELUIA! |
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© Reuben Condie April 2001 |