Readings for April 18, the Third Sunday of Easter

Acts 9:1-6, (7-20) • Psalm 30 • Revelation 5:11-14 • John 21:1-19


A prayer to begin:
God of victory over death,your Son revealed himself again and again,and convinced his followers of his glorious resurrection.Grant that we may know his risen presence,in love obediently feed his sheep,and care for the lambs of his flock. Amen.

Acts 9:1-20
Luke has told us earlier in the book that in Jerusalem “Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.” Now we see his great transformation: from persecutor to evangelist. At the time, Jews often had two names: a Semitic one (Saul) and a Roman or Greek one (Paul). The Empire granted Jewish authorities the right to extradite their own from beyond Palestine. Those “who belonged to the Way” were Jewish Christians; they worshipped in synagogues. In the early days, Christianity was known as “the Way”. Paul later called the glory of God (or Christ) a “light” Verses 4 and 5 make it clear that in persecuting members of the Christian flock, Paul persecuted Christ.
In verse 7 the Greek suggests that Saul’s companions heard the sound of the voice but not what was said. God commands “Ananias” , a leader of the followers in Damascus, to seek out Saul to restore his sight. Naturally, Ananias is fearful, Saul being a known enemy of Christians. Through Ananias, God restores Paul’s sight; Paul receives the Holy Spirit and is baptised, thus becoming a member of the Church.

Reflection:

• "any who belonged to The Way" - The Greek is hodos, which means Way as in path or road, a highway. What does that say - our faith is the road we are on?!
  
• "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." Think of Matthew 25:31-45 - Jesus is the one who is impacted by our actions, be it positively or negatively. Do we really believe this - if we did would we would stop doing some of the atrocious things we do to one another.."
• "He is an instrument I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel." How hard it must have been for Ananias to trust God's plan in this case. But how comforting it should be, or challenging, to realize that God always picks the least likely, the least equipped, the least sensible to carry about God's plans.
• "something like scales fell from his eyes" - I think of the Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, where Eustace Scrubb is turned into a dragon, a symbol of his misdeeds. To become a human again, he has to get rid of the dragon skin - he tries to peel it off himself, but can't get deep enough. Aslan (read Jesus), has to tear deeply into Eustace's flesh to get all of the old scaly skin away...
  

Psalm 30
The psalmist clearly praises God for his recovery from grave illness, but this psalm may also be allegorical: its title says that it was sung at the dedication of the Temple, which was desecrated in 164 BC and rededicated in 161 BC. “Sheol”, “the Pit" in verse 3 was thought of as a place under the earth where the dead existed as mere shadows. In verses 4 and 5 the psalmist invites all present to join in giving thanks. In verses 6 to 10, he recounts what happened to him. He had felt perfectly secure and healthy but he fell from God’s favour (God “hid from him) – he became ill. Feeling near death, he prayed to God, pointing out that if allowed to go the Sheol, no one, not even God, could hear him. God did hear his prayer and restored him to health and favour: his sorrow was turned to joy, even to liturgical “dancing”. He will praise God for the rest of his life.

Reflection:

• How does the image of God in this psalm make you feel?- pleading with God to care and act, trying to convince God to act by appealing to God's desire to have more people to worship God ... The Psalmist in his despair creates a negative view of God
• "Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning." A wonderfully evocative verse
• "You hid your face." - to think of God turning God's face from us. Devastating - like an eclipse darkening the earth. Does God turn from us or is this our perception when we turn from God? in other places in Scripture we are told that there is no where where we can run from God.
  
  Revelation 5:11-14
  This book is an inspired picture-book, intended to make a powerful appeal to the reader’s imagination. Using a literary genre known as apocalyptic, John gives us an insight into what will occur at the end of the current era. In his vision, he sees God’s throne and the heavenly scene around it and hears the praises sung there. He describes the glory of God in terms of precious gems .Around God’s throne are “twenty-four elders” (perhaps the twelve Old Testament patriarchs and the twelve apostles), so an image of the ideal Church. As in a Roman court, God’s counsellors are “seated”: they share in ruling and judging. “lightning” and “thunder” express God’s majesty. The “seven spirits” before the throne may be the seven angels of high rank, as in 1 Enoch, a non-biblical apocalyptic book. Tobit speaks of Raphael as “one of the seven angels who ... enter before ... the glory of the Lord”. The “sea of glass” a valuable commodity in John’s day, suggests the distance between humans and God, even in heaven. The “four living creatures” around the throne are angelic beings representing the whole of creation (Ezekiel 1); they are God’s agents who watch over all of nature and symbolize what is most splendid about animals: nobility (lion), strength (ox), wisdom (human), and oversight (eagle). Representing earthly beings, they continually praise God as ruler of history (or time). He will restore (or liberate) creation .They are joined by the “elders” (4:10), representing heavenly beings, who acknowledge God’s superior power by placing their crowns “before the throne” – that all power comes from God.
  Next a “scroll” is presented – a record of God’s plans for the end-time. No one is found worthy to open the scroll and reveal its contents , but finally, one is revealed, “a Lamb” , representing Christ.
  In a scene reminiscent of the honours given to a Roman emperor, large numbers sing of Christ’s worthiness to disclose God’s plans. There are seven honours he is worthy to receive : the first four (“power ... might”) concern his dominion; the others express the adoration of those present. The “Lamb” and the Creator (“the one” ) are equal in majesty. All creatures in heaven and on earth certify this to be true (“Amen” ).

Reflection:

• What does this passage say about God? About Jesus?
• Imagine being part of this scene. How do you feel?
• Are there any worship services or gatherings or concerts or events that this scene brings to mind?
  
  John 21:1-19
  Since his resurrection, Jesus has twice appeared to the disciples in the house where he hosted the Last Supper. Now he appears to six disciples near the Sea of Galilee (“Tiberias”). Led by Peter, they go fishing but catch nothing. When they return to the shore in the morning, Jesus is there. When he invites them to cast their net again, they catch many fish .One (probably John) recognizes him now ;the others do later. . In John Chapter 6, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus has blessed a meal of bread and fish. (The significance of “a hundred [and] fifty-three”, in verse 11 is unknown)
  Jesus asks Peter about his love for him.Peter avoids comparisons with “these”, the other disciples. Jesus asks three times – a reversal of Peter’s denial of him; each time Jesus tells him: feed/tend my lambs/sheep. Verse 18 begins with a proverbial saying: in old age, we lack the mobility and freedom of movement we had when young. But Peter’s life will be cut short: he will either be bound a prisoner, or be crucified (“stretch out ...”). In Chapter 13 Peter offers to follow Jesus even to laying down his life for him. Now Jesus says: “Follow me”. Tradition says that Peter was crucified too.

Reflection:

• Jesus eating is a suggestion of his physical resurrection, as opposed to spiritual resurrection. he is no ghost, not an apparition.
• Jesus once called some of his followers when they were fishing - then there nets were breaking, now they do not despite the large catch. Then he called them to follow him - here he does again, to Peter.He also shared the meal of bread and fish with them when he fed the 5000.
• They are again by the sea, on the water, where so much ministry has taken place, where so much meaning is attached.
• Another Chronicles of Narnia tie-in, also from Voyage of the Dawn Treader. At the very end of the book, when the gang is finally approaching the Eastern end of the world, they see a lamb who is cooking fish for them to eat, who turns into Aslan before their eyes, who is the Christ figure.
• "Do you love me more than these?" What these? The disciples?
• Some commentators suggests that Jesus asking Peter three times and Peters confirmation of love is a reversal of Peter's thrice denial of Christ before his crucifixion. He has come full circle - his shortcoming is turning into a strength - he can be the leader of the new church that Jesus needs him to be. "Follow me."