Word to the Wise
Friday, April 29, 2011 - Octave of Easter - Fri
[Acts 4:1-12 and John 21:1-14]Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish."
In the Gospel of John, when Jesus is doing the feeding, it appears that bread and fish are usually on the menu! [John 6:9-11]. As we learned in the case of the chapter from the Gospel of Luke that tells the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the hand of the storyteller is not only recounting and weaving traditions about Jesus into a single tapestry, but is also interpreting them in the process. One could easily get the impression that the Gospel of Luke was in the consciousness of the writer here because of the story of the large catch of fish [Luke 5:3-7] and the multiplication of the loaves and fishes [the only "sign" by Jesus shared by all four gospels - cf. Luke 9:16-17].
The process that I have described reminds me of what happens often at the death of an important figure in a community or family. People get together and begin to tell the stories that each knows about the deceased. The wise preacher will circulate at the vigil or family gathering to hear these various "traditions" about the deceased. Part of grieving is the interpretation of the life of the lost loved one in such a way that they take their place in memory (individual and collective). Although Jesus' situation was (and is) unique in that he is risen, the disciples experienced grief and joy at the same time. However, the brief period of appearances that lasts till the "ascension," will come to an end and he will leave and send the Spirit. There is continued grieving till then, along with fear!
The gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, the letters of St. Paul and then all of the New Testament represent the efforts of the early Christian community to proclaim and interpret the life of Jesus and the subsequent working of the Holy Spirit in the formation of the Church. Despite all that has built up in the way of tradition and the structures of the Church over more than 2000 years of life, the process of interpreting and living the traditions about Jesus continues. You and I must do this every day when we try to live faithfully our baptismal commitment. The Lord will be present with the bread and fish! As he says in today's gospel, "Come and have breakfast!" AMEN
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