HOMILY FOR THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER YEAR C.

Acts 5:27-32. 40-41; Psalm 30:2. 4-6. 11-13; Apocalypse 5:11-14, 17-19; John 21:1-19.

“COURAGE: GOD OR NOTHING!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide

·      Today the church celebrates the 3^rd Sunday of Easter. In the spirit of the Easter joy, Christ is risen as he said therefore, faith is strengthened, and hope renewed. Since our hope is renewed, that hope should give us the courage to witness the power of the resurrection. “Our faith would have been meaningless had Christ not risen from the dead.

·      The death of Jesus on the cross was a shattering experience for the early Christian community and for his closest allies, the apostles. They had this unreserved confidence in Jesus, that as the son of God nothing evil can ever befall him and now to see him die on the cross, they were left disappointed and depleted.

·      Friends in Christ, it is this hope in Christ and the power of the resurrection that has brought us here to worship our God. In the worship of God, the act of our ancestors in the faith is put before us for our reflection.

·      In the first reading (Acts 5:27-32. 40-41), the fact of Christ’s resurrection from the dead had filled the whole community of believers with courage. The apostles themselves are filled with renewed zeal to take the message of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

·      The scenario of the first reading presents an interesting contrast. While the early converts were blossoming in the faith and many more coming to believe in Christ, the high priest and his cohorts are restless and worried about the impression the apostles were creating in the community.

·      To charge the apostles not to teach about Christ and his resurrection was a demand taken too far. The high priest and his team were afraid of the consequence of their action – they put an innocent man to death out of jealousy. 

·      The apostles on the other hand are fired up by their renewed hope in God that even if they died while preaching the gospel, they will surely rise like Christ. Hence their response, “We must obey God rather than men.”

·      Dearly beloved, just like the high priest, many of us have a lot of things in the past that we are not proud of. We may have conspired against the innocent out of jealousy or share wickedness. Now that we have realized our mistakes rather than repent from them, we are prepared to go the extra mile to continue to press on that agenda and let the innocent continue to suffer. 

·      Secondly, some of us call ourselves Christian but when we are called to decide between our faith/God and the masters of the world, we are more afraid of the masters of this world than our God. We fear the wrath of men more than the wrath of God. Today, let the courageous witness of the apostles in the first reading inspire us to genuine faith and witness. 

·      Make no mistake about it, to choose God may come with certain consequences, but as the apostles, no matter the consequence, it is better to stand on the side of God than the side of men. No matter what mere mortals may do to us, we should be happy to have been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

·      In the second reading (Apocalypse 5:11-14), we are reminded of the awesomeness of this God who has called us to obedience, faithfulness, and the courage to witness to his name. John reveals to us in his vision the majesty of God.

·      If all the creatures in heaven and earth bow down to worship him, why then should we choose or obey creatures rather than the creator? The elders fell to worship God, therefore all powers both in heaven and on earth are nothing before him. Hence, we should seek to always please God and not man.

·      The gospel reading (John 21:1-19), indicates that as mortals, doing God’s will is not usually an easy task especially because we live in a world full of sin and distractions. To imagine that it was the first few apostles called by Jesus who first decided to “go fishing”, tells us that any of us can fall by the wayside if we do not guard ourselves well.

·      “To go fishing” could be likened to returning to former ways of sin. It means to return to our old lifestyle. Remember that when the apostles were called, “they left everything and followed him.” It is not surprising that they caught nothing. This is because they were not where God wants them to be. Once we deviate from the plan of God, we risk suffering and lack. It is in the will of God that is our peace.

·      Jesus used yet another great catch of fish to remind them of their new vocation. It was at the same spot that they were first called to follow Jesus. At the same spot, Jesus calls them to a renewal of mission. Peter recognized Jesus and screamed, “It is the Lord.”

·      Since the resurrection, we have been reading and witnessing the uncommon courage of the early Christians. The initial reaction to the death of Christ was that of loss, defeat, and fear. But the constant reappearing of Christ among his disciples gave them uncommon courage and passion to preach the good news. The courage to recognise the resurrected Jesus changed their story from bareness to fruitfulness, from emptiness to abundance, from loss to gain, from depression to the renewal of pastoral zeal as witnessed in the bountiful catch.

·      Like the apostles, many of us have returned to old ways. The Lenten Season is over so we can return to life as usual. Today, we are challenged to recognize Jesus again in the breaking of bread. Having recognized him, we should seek to do his will.

·      The good news about Peter’s encounter with Jesus at the place of his first call is to demonstrate that God is a God of a second chance. Peter who denied Jesus three times during his passion is reinstated by Jesus three times. 

·      Peter who once denied Jesus for fear of a common slave girl (Matt. 26:69) now dares to stand and preach in open and profess his faith in Christ. They were flogged yet they were not deterred, they were imprisoned yet they were joyful for the privilege to suffer in the name of Christ. Why this sudden commitment to the faith? Why the sudden courage? Why the sudden zeal and passion? Why the sudden desire to die for the sake of the gospel? It is their confirmatory faith in the power of the resurrection. If Christ their master died for the sake of the gospel and has been resurrected, then there is an assurance for them too if they suffer persecution and even death for the sake of Christ. Courage was their identity.

·      Friends in Christ, for the many times we must have denied Jesus, he is calling us back to his love. For the many times, we may have chosen the world against the things of God, he offers us a time of renewal. For the many times we might have obeyed the world rather than the voice of God, we can begin anew.

·      To choose God is to choose eternity. That God who offers us eternity stands at the door of the heart and he is knocking, will you let him. You may have been cast down by your side, but God is willing to stretch out his hands to raise you. No better song demonstrates this than the words of the psalmist, “I will extol you, Lord, for you have raised me up.” (Ps.  30:2).

·      May the good Lord bless his words in our hearts through Christ our Lord. Amen.

·      Happy Father’s/ worker’s Day.

·      Happy Sunday!!!