Friday, April 25, 2014

Homily: Friday of the Octave of Easter - Temptation to turn back

In the Gospel, Jesus finds Simon Peter and the others go back to their former lives—fishing in the Sea of Galilee.  Remember, when he first met Peter? Jesus told Peter to leave the fishing business and follow Him.  He said “come, follow me, I will make you fishers of men”

The Apostles had seen Jesus perform miracles; they witnessed his saving death, and the Risen Lord had appeared to them in the upper room.  You would think their lives would have been radically changed, yet now, they simply returned to work on the Sea of Galilee as fishermen.  Had anything really changed for them? 

Every Christian has to face the temptation of turning back of returning to one’s former life and former habits.  The newly baptized who entered the Church at Easter will be tempted to return to former ways; each of us, though we just renewed the promises of our own baptism on Easter Sunday when we rejected sin and all of the empty promises of the enemy will continue to be tempted to return to old habits, old attitudes, old behaviors.  

It’s important for us to humbly admit our temptations to God.  To acknowledge those areas of my life in which we are tempted to backslide and to fortify ourselves against them with God’s help.

Despite this tendency to stray from the new life, Jesus, in his mercy, continues to invite his disciples to fellowship with him, in order to remind them of their mission to witness to his resurrection.  I think the Lord shows some of his infinite patience in the Gospel today.  He enters in to their lives once again.  After they bring in a miraculous catch, he sits down with them, eats a meal with them. 

During the Easter season we are mindful of our baptismal promises that we can remain faithful to them particularly when it is difficult.  May the Lord continue to fortify us against sin and strengthen us to work always for the glory of God and salvation of souls.


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