Gospel Reflection for Sunday, May 4, 2025

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings.

We have just attended the funeral of Pope Francis, and we are now on the eve of the conclave that will elect the new Pontiff. We continue praying with the whole Church. In this context, today’s liturgy brings us the calling of the first Pope, St. Peter. Is it a coincidence? Not really—it’s the way God moves in our lives. Because He is always there, even if it’s sometimes hard for us to see Him. And His Word always brings us light.

We are walking along the path of Easter, and Jesus keeps showing up in the lives of His disciples. Three Sundays of Easter, and three Gospel stories of His appearances. Today’s Gospel tells us about the third time Jesus appeared after the Resurrection. This time, He appears to seven of His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. In the two previous appearances, He came on a Sunday. This time, it’s just an ordinary day—He visits them while they’re busy with their daily work.

There are seven witnesses to this appearance. The number seven has always symbolized perfection. The witnesses include Peter and a mix of different kinds of disciples: one who doubts, another with a strong temper, one more traditional, and two without names—in whom we can all see ourselves.

Peter is the one who decides to go back to work. When the others hear him, they go along. Maybe they were tired of doing nothing after Jesus’ death. Or maybe Peter was already leading the group and they naturally followed him. But their night out fishing didn’t bring much success.

They caught nothing—because they didn’t have the light. Not just sunlight, but the light that is Jesus. Without Him, even if we try hard, we can’t do much. But when the dawn comes, the Light appears and shows them how to truly become fishers of people. By trusting Him, something amazing happens—a miraculous catch of fish.

Back on land, they eat together. Peter brings some of the freshly caught fish. He shares what he has for this fraternal meal. It’s the fruit of everyone’s effort. And around the fire, something happens—they recognize Him. Without even asking, they know it’s the Lord. He shares bread and fish with them, and the community that had scattered after Jesus’ arrest begins to come back together. But there’s still one more thing to be done: Peter needs to be sure he’s been forgiven.

For Peter’s three denials, Jesus gives him the chance to say “I love you” three times. His “yes” cancels out his earlier “no.” This is about love. Peter always loved Jesus, even if fear overcame him in that critical moment. Now, Jesus gives him a mission: “Feed my sheep.” Once Peter’s faith is renewed, it’s time for him to lead the group—the newborn Church.

Jesus helps Peter let go of his past sin and feel truly forgiven. From that moment on, Peter probably no longer felt burdened by guilt—he felt clean. One of the greatest dangers for the soul is excessive guilt. But confession gives us the certainty that our sins are forgiven. Peter might still have remembered his denials with sadness, but he knew the guilt was gone. In this “Jubilee of Hope” year, knowing we are forgiven should also fill us with hope to keep moving forward.

From that moment, they truly become fishers of people, obeying the Master’s command—because “we must obey God rather than men.” That small group began to grow, thanks to the bold preaching of the witnesses of the Resurrection. They shared with others the message of life they had seen and heard: “The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging Him on a cross.” Jesus is alive, He has given them His Spirit, and He is with them in their mission. This deep conviction gave them the courage to face the authorities. Enlightened by the Risen Christ, they were ready to go all the way—even giving their lives. They rejoiced in suffering for the name of Jesus.

Today, our communities are also called to offer the fruits of our labor. When we share, we grow in solidarity and empathy. And most of all, we are reminded that our true strength comes from sharing the Bread of the Eucharist—the Body of Christ. Together, as a community, we can see the Lord.

Because sometimes, we don’t recognize Jesus right away. It takes time. That’s what we see in all the stories of the appearances during Easter: Mary Magdalene, the disciples on the road to Emmaus, even the Apostles themselves. But His own people—those who believe—do recognize Him. They know He is alive. They know where He is. And they are the ones who keep saying to those who doubt: “We have seen the Lord.” May we also be able to give that witness.

Your brother in faith,