Do you go off on tangents and ignore the obvious ? Do you sometimes find that this tangent was where you were supposed to be?
Last Sunday was Easter and during Holy Week I had a wonderful conversation with a Jewish customer where I work. It had slipped my mind that is was Passover season for him. He was a very nice man. Strange how when we gather we talk and eat and both he and I were preparing food for eating and spiritual food for conversation.
In our Gospel Jesus was gathering His disciples for the third time. They too were talking and eating. We know when Jesus appeared before the Apostles the first time was after the Ressurection when Thomas, called Didymus, was not there . The second time was when Thomas was there. My Lord and my God. The third time was in our reading today.
The tangent I am on concerns this appearance. Jesus gathered His loved ones together around food. My question was why did they needed to ask Him “Who are you?” Peter knew Him and who He was. He jumpped out of the boat and waded to Jesus. However, not the others. The thing I forget is that these men were uneducated fisherman. Simple people. They were in the finishing stages of the first seminary class. Their future was uncertain. Their learning curve and instructions were not complete. They were in a daze and didn’t believe that they saw with Jesus on the shore. They were centering the future of the Church on the Cornerstone, Jesus and food.
Their meals and relationship had to grow. Just like the Apostles we grow by both spiritual food and material food. Our developement as a community and “Peope of God” has to grow. Today because of the pandemics and war the world may be facing food and spiritual insecurity. Jesus is not done with us. We as a people have much to learn.
Peter says of Jesus, “He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, Nor is there any other name und heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
Going back to my tangent and the man celebrating Passover. Wandering in the desert for 40 years the Jewish people became a nation depending on God. After the Ressurection we become His people by depending on Jesus. There is no salvation through anyone else.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for peace in the Ukraine.
