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Gospel Reflection for Friday, April 25, 2025
We Don’t Fully Know How the Disciples Reacted
The reactions of the disciples to Jesus’ death remain a bit of a mystery. Various accounts suggest different responses—some stayed hidden in Jerusalem, paralyzed by fear of the Jewish authorities, while others likely returned to their everyday lives in Galilee, where they felt safer. For them, Jesus’ death appeared to mark the end of their hopes and dreams. Perhaps the return to Galilee is the most plausible version. And it is there that Jesus goes to find them.
Today’s narrative places a group of apostles in Galilee. They’ve returned to fishing, as life has slipped back into routine—survival dictated by the rhythm of casting nets. Some days the catch is plentiful; other days, it’s nothing but futile effort. Then you start over again. Such is the life of the poor.
And into that monotony comes Jesus, the risen Lord. It’s another encounter. He doesn’t appear as a ghost or some terrifying apparition but as someone who simply speaks to them. At first, they don’t recognize Him. It takes time to process that it is indeed Jesus—the one they followed, who ignited in their hearts the promise of the Kingdom and spoke of a loving and merciful God who cares for His children. The same Jesus with whom they had shared countless meals.
Jesus invites them to share what they have: bread and fish. They eat together. Gradually, the realization dawns. “It is the Lord.” They are stunned into silence. How can it be? He died on the cross. He lost. His trust in the Father seemed to have been for nothing. The Jewish authorities who sought His elimination succeeded. God did nothing. Everyone knew that. And yet, here He is—alive. How? In what way? Their awe, confusion, and wonder leave them speechless. They don’t dare speak, but they partake of the food Jesus offers. And slowly, they understand that everything they experienced with Jesus now has meaning—His death on the cross included. A new world and a new future open up before them, far beyond their simple lives as fishermen. The world awaits them. They have a mission and a hope to proclaim to all.