Frederick, Maryland,
United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Friday, 25 April 2014 -
Catholic Meditations
Meditations: Acts 4:1 As
they spoke to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the
Sadducees came to them, 2 being upset because they taught the people and
proclaimed in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 They laid hands on them,
and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening. 4 But many
of those who heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be
about five thousand.
5 In the morning, their
rulers, elders, and scribes were gathered together in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the
high priest was there, with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and as many as were
relatives of the high priest. 7 When they had stood them in the middle of them,
they inquired, “By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”
8 Then Peter, filled
with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “You rulers of the people, and elders of
Israel, 9 if we are examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled
man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 be it known to you all, and to
all the people of Israel, that in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom
you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, in him does this man stand here
before you whole. 11 He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you,
the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’[a] 12 There is
salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that
is given among men, by which we must be saved!”
Footnotes:
a. Acts 4:11 Psalm
118:22
Friday within the Octave
of Easter
In his name this man
stands before you healed. (Acts 4:10)
Set aside for a minute
Peter and John’s arrest and their night in custody. Ignore the leaders’ and
elders’ indignation and the bystanders’ wonder and amazement. Consider instead
the beggar who was healed. Everyone recognized this man. He routinely begged
for alms at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. For his whole life, he was
utterly dependent on other people to get around, to be fed, to be clothed and
cared for. All he hoped for from Peter and John was a few coins, a little food,
or a cast-off piece of clothing.
What this fellow
received was not just a physical healing but a whole new life. No longer bound
by his disability, he could move on his own. He was no longer powerless or
weak, no longer unable to make his way in life. Delivered from hopelessness, he
could now rise out of his poverty. Freedom, choices, relief from want and
pain—he received so much more than he had asked for or, most likely, so much
more than he had imagined he would ever experience.
The same is true for
you! Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, a whole new life is now open to
you. You can be set free from handicaps of bitterness and resentment. The fears
and anxieties and misgivings that preoccupy you don’t have to bind you or
paralyze you anymore. You no longer have to feel powerless in the face of anger
or addictions or lust. In the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified, whom God
raised from the dead, you can be healed!
Christ lives in you. His
grace can empower you to resist temptation and be set free from anything that
hampers you from feeling his Spirit. Call out to him, just as the beggar called
out to Peter and John for alms. Believe that Jesus is standing right in front
of you, offering you not silver and gold but the riches of love and joy,
patience and self-control. Tell yourself that you belong to Christ and that he
wants to set you free. Confess your insufficiency to him, and watch closely to
see how he answers you. And then, just as the beggar did, praise him for his
goodness to you!
“Jesus, in you alone am
I saved. Help me to live a new life, unbound by my sins and weaknesses.” Amen.
Psalm 118:1 Give thanks
to Yahweh, for he is good,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say
that his loving kindness endures forever.
4 Now let those who fear
Yahweh say
that his loving kindness endures forever.
22 The stone which the
builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23 This is Yahweh’s
doing.
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that
Yahweh has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it!
25 Save us now, we beg
you, Yahweh!
Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.
26 Blessed is he who
comes in Yahweh’s name!
We have blessed you out of Yahweh’s house.
27 Yahweh is God, and he
has given us light.
Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the
horns of the altar.
John 21:1 After these
things, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias.
He revealed himself this way. 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael
of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples
were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I’m going fishing.”
They told him, “We are
also coming with you.” They immediately went out, and entered into the boat.
That night, they caught nothing. 4 But when day had already come, Jesus stood
on the beach, yet the disciples didn’t know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus
therefore said to them, “Children, have you anything to eat?”
They answered him, “No.”
6 He said to them, “Cast
the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
They cast it therefore,
and now they weren’t able to draw it in for the multitude of fish. 7 That
disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”
So when Simon Peter
heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around him (for he was naked),
and threw himself into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the little
boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits[a]
away), dragging the net full of fish. 9 So when they got out on the land, they
saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to
them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”
11 Simon Peter went up,
and drew the net to land, full of great fish, one hundred fifty-three; and even
though there were so many, the net wasn’t torn.
12 Jesus said to them,
“Come and eat breakfast.”
None of the disciples
dared inquire of him, “Who are you?” knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Then Jesus came and
took the bread, gave it to them, and the fish likewise. 14 This is now the third
time that Jesus was revealed to his disciples, after he had risen from the
dead.
Footnotes:
a. John 21:8 200 cubits
is about 100 yards or about 91 meters
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