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Sunday, May 1, 2022

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Third Sunday of Easter


Acts 5:27-32, 40-41
Revelation 5:11-14
Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 11-13
John 21:1-19

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“A third time Jesus asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was hurt because He had asked a third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ So he said to Him: ‘Lord, You know everything. You know well that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’ ” —John 21:17

If we love Jesus, we will feed His sheep. We will feed Jesus’ followers with physical food (see Mt 25:35) and with the Bread of Life, that is, Jesus (Jn 6:35). If we love Jesus, we will feed Christians with Jesus. We do this by sharing God’s Word (see Mt 4:4) and by inviting others to come to Jesus, join His Church, and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus (see Jn 6:55).

The night before Jesus died, He fed His sheep at the Last Supper by giving them His Body and Blood (see Mt 26:26ff). On the afternoon of the day Jesus rose, He fed His sheep by interpreting “for them every passage of Scripture which referred to Him” (Lk 24:27). Then He broke bread for them (Lk 24:30). Later, Jesus fed Peter and six other apostles with a breakfast of bread and fish (Jn 21:9). The risen Jesus revealed Himself to those “who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41).

Before Jesus commanded us to feed His sheep, He showed us how to do this in several multi-dimensional ways. Ultimately, to love Jesus and to feed His sheep requires that we no longer do what we please but do what is against our wills (Jn 21:18). To love is to feed, and to feed is to follow Jesus even to death (Jn 21:19). Will you die to feed His sheep?

Prayer:  Father, I offer my life for the feeding of Your people.

Promise:  “You changed my mourning into dancing...O Lord, my God, forever will I give You thanks.” —Ps 30:12, 13

Praise:  Praise the Risen Jesus, Who fills us with His joy and His Spirit. Alleluia!

Reference:  (Come be fed with the truths of the faith. Join us May 20-22 for the retreat Basic Training: Solid Food for Disciples of Christ. E-mail us at register retreats@presentationministries.com.)

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from April 1, 2022 through May 31, 2022. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, August 3, 2021"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.