Friday, April 17, 2020 - Friday in the Easter Octave - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. John 21, 1-14 - This is the day which the Lord has made, let it be a day of feast and joy for us!

We are still in the sequence of Jesus' apparitions to the disciples. In this case it is on the shores of the Sea of Tiberias, where for the third time according to St. John, He manifests Himself. Jesus does not appear to us once or only twice, but at every moment of our lives. He does not appear only to appear, but He manifests Himself as the Risen One, appearing to His beloved spouse who is the Church and who is also His body in whom He wants to make the faith grow.

This scene symbolizes the Church well: Peter decides to go fishing, and other disciples follow him by getting into the same boat as him. In the same way, the Pope at the head is supported and followed by others in the same boat that is the Church. Let us pray that the leaders and faithful of the Church will journey towards the destination predefined by Christ. Let us also pray for the unity of the Church so that Christ's prayer may be fulfilled.

These disciples are all professional fishermen. Yet working all night, they caught nothing. Without God, skill, mastery, expertise are in vain. Just as He spoke to the disciples, Jesus addresses us: "Children, would you have something to eat? Throw the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find". Just as He does not leave us hungry, Jesus does not allow us idleness either: we must cast the net according to His instructions and not according to our supposed mastery. Finally, it is the Risen Jesus Himself who invites us to His meal. Through his Word and his Body he nourishes us. Let us not decline such an invitation.