Resist and Revive

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to rise to the challenge to be the “bread of life” in our environment as a sign and ministry of Jesus’ Way to fullness of Life.

Bread Shared for Life

In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Gamaliel offers examples of unsuccessful contemporary movements.

* [5:34] Gamaliel: in Acts 22:3, Paul identifies himself as a disciple of this Rabbi Gamaliel I who flourished in Jerusalem between A.D. 25 and 50.

* [5:36–37] Gamaliel offers examples of unsuccessful contemporary movements to argue that if God is not the origin of this movement preached by the apostles it will perish by itself. The movement initiated by Theudas actually occurred when C. Cuspius Fadus was governor, A.D. 44–46. Luke’s placing of Judas the Galilean after Theudas and at the time of the census (see note on Lk 2:1–2) is an indication of the vagueness of his knowledge of these events. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 27 asserts “I believe” (Ps 27:13), echoing “I trust” (Ps 27:3).

* [Psalm 27] Tradition has handed down the two sections of the Psalm (Ps 27:1–6; 7–14) as one Psalm, though each part could be understood as complete in itself. Asserting boundless hope that God will bring rescue (Ps 27:1–3), the psalmist longs for the presence of God in the Temple, protection from all enemies (Ps 27:4–6). In part B there is a clear shift in tone (Ps 27:7–12); the climax of the poem comes with “I believe” (Ps 27:13), echoing “I trust” (Ps 27:3). (Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John presents the Sign of Jesus Multiplication of the Loaves.

* [6:1–15] This story of the multiplication of the loaves is the fourth sign (cf. note on Jn 5:1–47). It is the only miracle story found in all four gospels (occurring twice in Mark and Matthew). See notes on Mt 14:13–21; 15:32–39. John differs on the roles of Philip and Andrew, the proximity of Passover (Jn 6:4), and the allusion to Elisha (see Jn 6:9). The story here symbolizes the food that is really available through Jesus. It connotes a new exodus and has eucharistic overtones.

* [6:1] [Of Tiberias]: the awkward apposition represents a later name of the Sea of Galilee. It was probably originally a marginal gloss.

* [6:5] Jesus takes the initiative (in the synoptics, the disciples do), possibly pictured as (cf. Jn 6:14) the new Moses (cf. Nm 11:13).

* [6:6] Probably the evangelist’s comment; in this gospel Jesus is never portrayed as ignorant of anything.

* [6:7] Days’ wages: literally, “denarii”; a Roman denarius is a day’s wage in Mt 20:2.

* [6:9] Barley loaves: the food of the poor. There seems an allusion to the story of Elisha multiplying the barley bread in 2 Kgs 4:42–44.

* [6:10] Grass: implies springtime, and therefore Passover. Five thousand: so Mk 6:39, 44 and parallels.

* [6:13] Baskets: the word describes the typically Palestinian wicker basket, as in Mk 6:43 and parallels.

* [6:14] The Prophet: probably the prophet like Moses (see note on Jn 1:21). The one who is to come into the world: probably Elijah; cf. Mal 3:1, 23. (John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Candice Tucci, OSF, comments that so many people find themselves in harm’s way for many reasons. Life is precious. We rely on HOPE, seek peace, and the end to violence. The Resurrection of Jesus reminds us of our provident God, who wishes only life, and that life may be continued on earth and afterwards in the loving embrace of God.

As the apostles were flogged, there was pain. While there were many hungry people, and still are, we are fed by Jesus, the Bread of Life. Consider the many people who work to feed the hungry in Ukraine or Gaza. Good people provide in our neighborhoods, providing food pantries and kitchens, as well as tending to the food deserts of our country--world. God never leaves us. God is always Emmanuel; God is with us as we live in Jesus. The Cross tells us He is with us in our sufferings. The Resurrection reveals to us that there is Hope and Love in Christ, who is Life Everlasting. (Tucci, n.d.)

 

Theologian Elizabeth Johnson says it this way from her book, The Cross and Creation:

“…the living God, gracious and merciful, always was, is and will be accompanying the world with saving grace, including humans in their sinfulness, and humans and all creatures in their unique beauty, evolutionary struggle, and inevitable dying…”.

…“The cross of Jesus is a revelation of the depth of God’s love, entering into the suffering of the world… not to satisfy a debt, but to accompany and redeem.”

God provides all the time. We need to do our part. Challenge the “Sanhedrin” and never stop being, doing, teaching, witnessing, and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus, no matter what the cost. (Tucci, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “God enables us, by Leo the Great,” 400-461 A.D.

"In rendering service to the grace of God, we are not only made subject to our King through obedience but are even joined to him through the will. If we are of one mind with him (willing what he wills, disapproving of what he disapproves), he himself will bring us victory in all our battles. He who has given the 'will' will bestow also the ability. In this way can we 'cooperate' with his works, speaking that prophetic utterance in the exultation of faith: 'The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?'" (excerpt from Sermon 26,4,2) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 6:1-15 comments that when we consider the magnitude of the needs that we see in the world, the Church, our neighborhoods, and our families. “What good” can we do about them? Our resources aren’t enough to meet all the needs, and we might feel overwhelmed. But remember, Jesus already knows what he is going to do in each of these situations.

 He is inviting you to participate in his work, not do it all yourself. Like Andrew, you can give what you have and watch Jesus use it. How?

Start small; do what you can do. Like Andrew, offer Jesus a concrete, practical step that you can take to work toward healing, reconciliation, or relief. Remember, Jesus knows what he’s doing, and he is perfectly capable of multiplying whatever you offer him.

“Jesus, I lay all these tragedies at your feet. Show me today how I can cooperate with you.” (Meditation on John 6:1-15, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in the passage Acts, from yesterday, the Sanhedrin was furious. Rabbi Gamaliel gives examples of people who had their movements fall apart and notes that if it is from God they cannot act against it, if not it will fall apart. Gamaliel, was a wise teacher of Paul at this time. The multiplication, in John’s Gospel, occurs once. Matthew and Mark proclaim the multiplication twice for Jews and Gentiles. In John, the three Passovers are mentioned, and this identifies Jesus' ministry of three years. (Two years and a weekend are recognized in Jewish tradition of the part as representing the whole as three years) In John’s Gospel, the followers really don’t get it that Jesus has a knowledge beyond their understanding. There are 5 loaves and 2 wishes resonating with the perfect number, 7. Jesus takes the perfect and makes it better. Jesus and makes up for our lack. The resonance of green grass to Psalm 23 in verdant passage and beside restful waters and the instruction to “Gather up the fragments “ is repeated in early liturgical tests. The breaking of the bread as a prefiguring of the Eucharist. This is a prefiguring word in Greek for “Eucharist”. Friar Jude comments that they want to make him a king but this “sign” points to a greater reality of Jesus to heal the greatest hunger of our hearts.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Brian McLaren who reflects on how contemplation and community enable him to live according to the values of the kingdom of God. The journey to sovereignty of mind requires an inward migration, where we in a sense become refugees from our external nation, culture, economy, and civilization, even though we still live within its borders. We withdraw inwardly… Alexis Wright speaks of this inward migration. Jesus described the innermost room of your consciousness (Matthew 6:6), where you go to think differently, to sort out your desires and hopes authentically. When you learn how to do that inward migration, that spiritual migration, you find yourself looking for others who have also gone there, who have discovered freedom and sovereignty of mind.

[Jesus said,] “Wherever two or three of you gather in my name, there I am,” and [we] might understand him to say, “Listen, I understand that you are outnumbered. I understand that so many people around you have been sucked into the story of ugliness. I understand that you are learning to live by a different story where beauty abounds. You don’t need me physically present to tell the beautiful story. You can tell it yourselves. Even just two or three of you can gather together, embodying my way of being in the world. You can be cells of resistance, outposts of transformation, seedbeds of beauty.”

That is the best future I can imagine for organized religion in these dangerous times. Instead of helping nostalgic people inhabit bubbles of the past, religious communities can help people go forward on this inward migration toward sovereignty of mind, where in defiance of a rising level of ugliness, people cultivate beauty… seeing it, creating it, savoring it. Savoring beauty within will lead to beautiful outward action. (Rohr, n.d.)

We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we work to resist the negativity and division of contemporary culture and invite all we encounter to sit in the green grass of Psalm 23 and accept the food we need from the Good Shepherd.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/5? 

John, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/6?1 

Meditation on John 6:1-15. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/04/17/1545322/ 

Psalms, PSALM 27 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/27? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). An Inward Migration. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/an-inward-migration/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Miraculous Sign of Jesus. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Tucci, C. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved April 17, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-april-17-2026 

Called to Gather All People

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Friday in the Octave of Easter, challenge us to be bold agents of our Christian mission to preach the Good News with our loving and healing action.

Gather and be Fed

The Reading from the Acts of the Apostles presents Peter before the Sanhedrin.

* [4:1] The priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees: the priests performed the temple liturgy; the temple guard was composed of Levites, whose captain ranked next after the high priest. The Sadducees, a party within Judaism at this time, rejected those doctrines, including bodily resurrection, which they believed alien to the ancient Mosaic religion. The Sadducees were drawn from priestly families and from the lay aristocracy.

* [4:11] Early Christianity applied this citation from Ps 118:22 to Jesus; cf. Mk 12:10; 1 Pt 2:7.

* [4:12] In the Roman world of Luke’s day, salvation was often attributed to the emperor who was hailed as “savior” and “god.” Luke, in the words of Peter, denies that deliverance comes through anyone other than Jesus. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 118 is part of a thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a procession of the king and the people into the Temple precincts.

* [Psalm 118] A thanksgiving liturgy accompanying a procession of the king and the people into the Temple precincts. After an invocation in the form of a litany (Ps 118:1–4), the psalmist (very likely speaking in the name of the community) describes how the people confidently implored God’s help (Ps 118:5–9) when hostile peoples threatened its life (Ps 118:10–14); vividly God’s rescue is recounted (Ps 118:15–18). Then follows a possible dialogue at the Temple gates between the priests and the psalmist as the latter enters to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice (Ps 118:19–25). Finally, the priests impart their blessing (Ps 118:26–27), and the psalmist sings in gratitude (Ps 118:28–29).

* [118:22] The stone the builders rejected: a proverb: what is insignificant to human beings has become great through divine election. The “stone” may originally have meant the foundation stone or capstone of the Temple. The New Testament interpreted the verse as referring to the death and resurrection of Christ (Mt 21:42; Acts 4:11; cf. Is 28:16 and Rom 9:33; 1 Pt 2:7).

* [118:25] Grant salvation: the Hebrew for this cry has come into English as “Hosanna.” This cry and the words in Ps 118:26 were used in the gospels to welcome Jesus entering the Temple on Palm Sunday (Mk 11:9–10). (Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of John presents the Appearance to the Seven Disciples in Galilee. 

* [21:1–23] There are many non-Johannine peculiarities in this chapter, some suggesting Lucan Greek style; yet this passage is closer to John than Jn 7:53–8:11. There are many Johannine features as well. Its closest parallels in the synoptic gospels are found in Lk 5:1–11 and Mt 14:28–31. Perhaps the tradition was ultimately derived from John but preserved by some disciple other than the writer of the rest of the gospel. The appearances narrated seem to be independent of those in Jn 20. Even if a later addition, the chapter was added before publication of the gospel, for it appears in all manuscripts.

* [21:2] Zebedee’s sons: the only reference to James and John in this gospel (but see note on Jn 1:37). Perhaps the phrase was originally a gloss to identify, among the five, the two others of his disciples. The anonymity of the latter phrase is more Johannine (Jn 1:35). The total of seven may suggest the community of the disciples in its fullness.

* [21:3–6] This may be a variant of Luke’s account of the catch of fish; see note on Lk 5:1–11.

* [21:9, 12–13] It is strange that Jesus already has fish since none have yet been brought ashore. This meal may have had eucharistic significance for early Christians since Jn 21:13 recalls Jn 6:11 which uses the vocabulary of Jesus’ action at the Last Supper; but see also note on Mt 14:19.

* [21:11] The exact number 153 is probably meant to have a symbolic meaning in relation to the apostles’ universal mission; Jerome claims that Greek zoologists catalogued 153 species of fish. Or 153 is the sum of the numbers from 1 to 17. Others invoke Ez 47:10.

* [21:12] None…dared to ask him: is Jesus’ appearance strange to them? Cf. Lk 24:16; Mk 16:12; Jn 20:14. The disciples do, however, recognize Jesus before the breaking of the bread (opposed to Lk 24:35).

* [21:14] This verse connects Jn 20 and 21; cf. Jn 20:19, 26. (John, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer asks “Are we, like Simon, being asked by Jesus to share the Good News and become fishers of men?” 

Are we being called to be more than just dutiful parishioners who share our income with the church each Sunday when the offering plate is passed?

If we agree with the call-to-action Jesus shared with Simon, then our challenge is to expand our efforts beyond reading in private our Daily Reflection and become active in how we live our faith in service to others. How can we become more involved in our faith community? How can we demonstrate that Christ is the center of our lives? How can we live our faith with those who share our beliefs and help guide into the net of safety those who are on the fringe of society, who are disenfranchised, weak or lonely?

Our gifts to support the church are worthy, but our active participation in the Gospel is the real work of the church that Jesus wants and needs us to do. Maybe we need to remind ourselves of the old adage, “Walking with Christ means walking like Christ.” (Scholer, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Resurrected Bodies,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The bodies of the righteous at the resurrection will need neither any fruit to preserve them from dying of disease or the wasting decay of old age nor any bodily nourishment to prevent hunger and thirst. For they will be endowed with such a sure and inviolable gift of immortality that they will not eat because they have to, but only if they want to. Not the power but the necessity of eating and drinking shall be taken away from them... just like our Savior after his resurrection took meat and drink with his disciples, with spiritual but still real flesh, not for the sake of nourishment, but in an exercise of his power." (excerpt from City of God 13.22) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 21:1-14 comments that Jesus once told the apostles that he had come so that we might have “life and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). And what is he giving us in abundance? Not just fish or bread or wine. In Peter’s case, it was mercy! The same is true for us. However low we have fallen, his mercy never runs dry. He will always restore us to himself when we come to him.

God’s abundance extends even beyond mercy: he “does not ration his gift of the Spirit” (John 3:34). Just as the Spirit came upon the apostles at Pentecost, he has come to us—not just at Baptism and Confirmation, but with a new outpouring every time we ask for it. And just as the Spirit blessed Peter and the other disciples with the gifts and power to “feed [his] sheep,” so the Spirit gives us the strength, power, and grace to do the same (21:17).

We often tend to focus on what we lack. Today, think instead of how abundantly you’ve been blessed. Then thank the risen Lord for all he has done for you!

“Jesus, I praise you for the new life you have won for me!” (Meditation on John 21:1-14, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today. Peter and John had healed the crippled  beggar and the people heard the kerygma preached about Christ. The religious leaders are upset and Peter declares he had acted in the name of Jesus who had been put to death by the authorities but filled with boldness in the Spirit, Peter proclaims Jesus' resurrection. In the Sea of Galilee people fished in the cool water of the night but they had not caught fish. A person on the shore urges them to try the other side and the catch is declared to be 153 fish. Impetuous Peter jumps in the water recognizing that Jesus is serving fish and bread. This event is a reminder of the Eucharisic Chapter in John Ch 21. Friar Jude comments this sign is about proclaiming the Good News. The total number of fish species was thought to be 153 and this is a sign that they are to catch everyone in their nets.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how it’s possible to experience resurrection through experiencing God’s love. He believes the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus is summed up in the climactic line from the Song of Songs: “Love is stronger than death” (8:6). In Christian art, the risen Christ often holds a blank, white banner; if that banner should say anything, it should say: “Love will win!” Love is all that remains. Love and life are finally the same thing, and we know that for ourselves once we have walked through death.

Remember, Love has you. Love is you. Love alone, and your deep need for love, recognizes love everywhere else. Remember that you already are what you are seeking. Any fear “that your lack of fidelity could cancel God’s fidelity, is absurd” (Romans 3:3), says Paul. Love has finally overcome fear, and your house is being rebuilt on a new and solid foundation. This foundation was always there, but it took you a long time to find it, for “It is love alone that lasts” (1 Corinthians 13:13). All you have loved in your life and been loved by is eternal and true. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We ask the Spirit to inform our understanding that the abundance of life is realized as we adopt a life mission of love for all of Creation.

References

Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/4?1 

John, CHAPTER 21 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/21? 

Meditation on John 21:1-14. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/04/10/1540741/ 

Psalms, PSALM 118 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/118?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Resurrection Is Possible Now. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/resurrection-is-possible-now/ 

Scholer, S. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-april-10-2026 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Revealed Himself Again to the Disciples. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/