{"id":2252,"date":"2024-04-04T21:44:18","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T02:44:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wiga5ubklx.wpdns.site\/2024\/04\/04\/daily-scripture-april-5-2024\/"},"modified":"2024-04-04T21:44:18","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T02:44:18","slug":"daily-scripture-april-5-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/passionist.org\/es\/2024\/04\/04\/daily-scripture-april-5-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Scripture, April 5, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Scripture:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acts 4:1-12
John 21:1-14<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflexi\u00f3n:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiencing someone coming back to life after you clearly knew they were dead has got to rock your world.  A week earlier you were walking to Jerusalem with visions of triumphalism in your mind. You didn\u2019t know exactly what was going to unfold, but you were with Jesus, which gave you and the whole group confidence.  And then the bottom fell out.  Jesus was murdered.  This event shattered your hopes and expectations and left you asking, \u201cNow what?\u201d   The grieving has gone on for a couple of days and you are dealing with deep emotions, confusion and perplexity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The readings today are two snapshots taken at two different times after the resurrection.   The Gospel of John would be an account between the crucifixion and Pentecost.  The disciples are no longer in Jerusalem.  Instead, they are back north fishing in the Sea of Tiberius also known as the Sea of Galilee.  We find Peter, James, and John back doing what they grew up doing, fishing.  It makes sense that a person who experiences absolute chaos or trauma would go back to doing what they have known so well.  They would seek comfort. Getting back to something familiar, and into a familiar routine helps this discombobulation. Grounding this behavior in the serenity of nature can only help to settle the turbulence within.  So now they are on the shores, right back to the beginning where they originally met Jesus, fishing in the waters of familiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What a contrast the account from Acts of the Apostles is from the Gospel.  The disciples are no longer confused or frightened.  Transformed by the glory of the resurrection and filled with the Holy Spirit they are challenging people to believe in the Resurrected Christ.  It is yet another classic Lukan narrative.  No one can deny the miraculous healing of the crippled man who everyone knew as he sat by the Beautiful Gate leading out from the city of Jerusalem. And Peter takes no credit. He is quick to give the credit for the healing not to themselves but to the Resurrected One.  This miraculous event doesn\u2019t have a happy ending for everyone. Recall Jesus had promised his disciples as he has promised us, that persecutions will come if we are true to his name.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my overview of the resurrection stories this Easter Season, one of the things that stands out is the theme of believing.  Starting first with the disciples, Mark, Luke, and John highlight the disciples\u2019 initial inability to believe.  Jesus will actually call them \u201cSlow to believe.\u201d The tension builds in Acts of the Apostles between those who believe and those who will not believe, as seen in today’s first reading.  This tension will continue to escalate in the early church, and years later, when John the Evangelist writes his Gospel, he will include it as a major theme in the expression of his account.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My takaways from these readings are threefold:<\/p>\n\n\n\n