‘It is the Lord!’

 Third Sunday of Easter Year C - 1st May 2022

Gospel John 21: 1–19 (part)

Jesus showed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing.’ They replied, ‘We’ll come with you.’ They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night.

It was light by now and there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. He called out, ‘Have you caught anything, friends?’ And when they answered, ‘No’, he said, ‘Throw the net out to starboard and you’ll find something’. So they dropped the net, and there were so many fish that they could not haul it in. The disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord.’ At these words, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water. The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net and the fish.

As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there, and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. Jesus said, ‘Bring some of the fish you have just caught.’ Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, ‘Who are you?’; they knew quite well it was the Lord. Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus showed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead.

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I come to my place of prayer and relax into God’s presence in the way I usually do. In time I read the text slowly.

What strikes me when I consider the disciples or Peter? How do I identify with them?

Do I stand back or do I move towards Jesus?

And what of Jesus’s own actions and words?

... His gentle suggestion, his calm normality, his thoughtfulness in cooking breakfast, his sharing in the meal ...

How do these things make me feel? I speak to him of what is in my heart.

Later, I might read the remainder of the text, but for now I spend time in silence, or in thanksgiving for the resurrection, telling the Lord of my love.

I end my prayer with a Glory be ...

‘My Lord and my God!’

 Second Sunday of Easter, Year C - 24th April 2022

Gospel John 20: 19–31

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you,’ and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.’ After saying this he breathed on them and said: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.’

Thomas, called the Twin, who was one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. When the disciples said, ‘We have seen the Lord’, he answered, ‘Unless I see the holes that the nails made in his hands and unless I can put my hand into his side, I refuse to believe’. Eight days later the disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. The doors were closed, but Jesus came in and stood among them. ‘Peace be with you’, he said. Then he spoke to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; look, here are my hands. Give me your hand: put it into my side. Doubt no longer but believe.’ Thomas replied, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him: ‘You believe because you can see me. Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe' ...

These things are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through his name.

The Incredulity of Thomas (Caravaggio)

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

I read the Gospel slowly. I may like to use my imagination to enter into the scene, standing with the confused and fearful disciples in the upper room. What is the mood of the gathering? I let myself wonder ...

What are they afraid of? What are my own fears at this time?

I imagine seeing Jesus return again, and the compassion he shows to Thomas. Then I imagine Jesus suddenly being present with me, standing alongside me in my life today.

I allow him to look deeply into my being; knowing, loving and accepting me, just as I am. Even in my doubt, Jesus sends me to spread his love and peace.

What words of encouragement do I need to hear Jesus speak to me? What do I want to say to him?

I close my prayer – like Thomas, with my own declaration of belief.

He saw and he believed!

Easter Sunday Year C 17th April 2022 

Gospel John 20: 1–9

It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved.

‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,’ she said, ‘and we don’t know where they have put him.’

So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb.

They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first; he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in. Simon Peter who was following now came up, went right into the tomb, saw the linen cloths on the ground, and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed. Till this moment they had failed to understand the teaching of scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

Jesus and Mary (Titian)

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

Perhaps, like Mary, I came to my place of prayer before dawn, ahead of the busy-ness of the day. But at whatever time I come to pray, I might be able to imagine myself in the quiet of the garden, alongside her, peering into the darkness of the empty tomb.

As I become still, I read the text, and then ponder.

What do I notice going on within me? To where am I being drawn?

Mary, thinking the body to be stolen, does not consider that Jesus has been raised from death. In her alarm, she has failed to understand the teaching of the scripture. When Peter goes into the tomb he sees only loss, the absence of a body. The other disciple, seeing beyond this, feels the stirring of belief in the presence of the Risen One.

What, in my life at the moment, is marked by absence and loss?

What, when seen with the loving eyes of a disciple, is filled with Christ’s presence?

What does the resurrection of Jesus say to me about death, suffering, conflict, loss ...?

I remain in the empty tomb, speaking to the Lord from the heart. Glory be ...

Jesus, remember me

 Palm Sunday of the Passion of Our Lord Year C - 10th April 2022

Gospel Luke 22: 14–23: 56 (part)

When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. Jesus said, ‘Father forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.’ Then they cast lots to share out his clothing. The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer him vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews’.

One of the criminals hanging there abused him, saying, ‘Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all? You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Indeed, I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.’

It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit’. And with these words he breathed his last.

The Cross as Tree of Life, San Clemente, Rome

Gospel Reflection from  St Beuno's Outreach

Coming to my prayer, I do not rush; I allow myself to become still in body and mind in the presence of God. I ask the Holy Spirit to help me.

I may like to place myself somewhere in the scene as I read this familiar gospel passage slowly. What do I see, hear, taste, smell, touch ...? With whom do I identify or want to speak? What do I notice about Jesus?

I ponder what I want to say to Jesus. Perhaps I may speak with him about his choice to become a human being for me, leaving his eternal life to die in this way because of my sinfulness.

Then I share with Jesus how I have responded to him in the past, how I long to respond now, and how I hope to respond to him in the future.

I remember that, although I am a sinner, I am also uniquely loved and already forgiven by God. Jesus remembers me and loves me! For this I thank God, ending my prayer with praise. Glory be ...

Neither do I condemn you

 Fifth Sunday of Lent Year C - 3rd April 2022

Gospel John 8: 1–11

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At daybreak he appeared in the Temple again; and as all the people came to him, he sat down and began to teach them.

The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman along who had been caught committing adultery; and making her stand there in full view of everyone, they said to Jesus, ‘Master, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery, and Moses has ordered us in the Law to condemn women like this to death by stoning. What have you to say?’ They asked him this as a test, looking for something to use against him. But Jesus bent down and started writing on the ground with his finger. As they persisted with their question, he looked up and said, ‘If there is one of you who has not sinned, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Then he bent down and wrote on the ground again. When they heard this they went away one by one, beginning with the eldest, until Jesus was left alone with the woman, who remained standing there. He looked up and said, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one sir,’ she replied. ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ said Jesus, ‘go away, and don’t sin any more’.

Gospel Reflection from St Beuno's Outreach

Like Jesus before me, I consciously slow down in preparation for this  me of prayer. I become more aware of my life-giving breath, and invite Jesus to breathe with me, through me ... to fill me with the Holy Spirit.

I read this striking Gospel slowly, a couple of times, allowing myself to get immersed in this incident in Jesus’s life. I ask that God’s living word might speak to me anew about the inclusive, non-judgemental Way of Christ.

With the help of the Holy Spirit, I stop ‘being in charge’ and invite God to use my imagination. I take in the scene: the frightened, ashamed woman; the conniving scribes and Pharisees; the mood of the watching crowd ... and the figure and presence of Jesus in the centre.

If I can, I allow my ‘inner eye’ to deepen my understanding and experience of the forgiving nature of Jesus and his Father.

No matter the circumstances of my own life, I try to be open to Jesus’s loving gaze, and speak with him about what arises.

When I am ready, I give thanks to God for his boundless mercy.

Glory be ...