Pastor’s Desk – 3rd Sunday of Easter

The Sacred in the Ordinary

    Interesting that it is hard to find a painting of their late-night meal of fish.  Others are crowded on Google images.  The garden, the breakfast on the beach, the road to Emmaus – old and new pictures.  Is the fish meal too ordinary for the resurrection?  We can’t believe that the Lord of all creation, who died for us, will be recognised so simply or can we?

    Jesus is in a bit of a fix. Faith is still weak in his followers – how can he get to them? Though the doors are closed, he comes among them in their fear. He said Peace again. This doesn’t seem to get through.   Finally he tried a meal of ordinary fish with them.  Somehow it is getting through.  They have remembered other meals of fish and the way he ate it.  Faith is growing in them in the simple act of sharing a meal together.

There is always another way for Jesus.  We resist that he is so ordinary.  The resurrection happens now and in the ordinary.  How this week did I find the resurrection? Where I took a jump outside of the self in love, care, work for justice?   In any way we raise each other up to a better human life and faith, then the resurrection is being shared.

The garden, the chat on the road, and now the ordinary meal. Imagine if we said he took fish, said the blessing…! All of life is sacred, and shot through with the love and grace of the risen Lord.

In your breathing in and out, echo the word ‘Peace’

Lord, make me a means of your peace.

Donal Neary SJ