Friday in the Octave of Easter
There Is No Other Name - By Which We Are Saved
Liturgical Cycle: A, B, C | Lectionary Cycle: I, II
Introduction
All evangelists underline the disciples’ difficulty in recognising the Risen Lord. First, they do not realise that he is there and that he is just like a stranger. Then, usually as a consequence of a word or action, it dawns on them that it is the Lord, and those who love him most—today John—usually recognise him first. The Risen Lord is quite different in appearance from Jesus, whom they knew before his death and resurrection.
Though their faith in the resurrection was difficult and slow, still, it is the heart of the apostolic preaching: the risen Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith and our lives. As with the apostles, he stays with us when we are toiling.
Opening Prayer
Our God and Father,
through our Risen Lord, your Son, Jesus Christ,
you have given us a message of hope
and a person to live for.
Free our faith from triviality and routine
and fill us with his Spirit of courage,
that we may learn to live
with the insecurities of the change of renewal
ever-demanded by the Gospel
and by the needs of the times.
May our Christian living bear witness
to the name of him by whom we are saved,
Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord,
First Reading
Peter and John Before the Council
While Peter and John were still speaking to the crowd, the priests, the captain of the temple guard, and the Sadducees approached them.
They were very upset because the apostles were teaching the people and claiming that resurrection from the dead had been proven through Jesus.
Since it was already evening, they arrested them and kept them in custody until the next day.
Despite this, many who heard the message believed, and their numbers grew to about five thousand.
The next day, the Jewish leaders, elders, and teachers of the law gathered in Jerusalem.
Annias, the High Priest, Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and everyone from the high priestly family were present.
They brought Peter and John before them and started to question them:
How did you manage to do this? Whose name did you use?
Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke up:
“Leaders of the people! Elders!
It is a fact that we are being examined today for a good deed done to a cripple. How was he healed?
You and all the people of Israel must know that this man stands before you cured through the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazorean. You had him crucified. But God raised him from the dead.
Jesus is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation in anyone else; for there is no other Name given to humankind all over the world, by which we may be saved.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a
R.(22) The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
"His mercy endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His mercy endures forever."
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
By the LORD has this been done;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sequence -- optional
Christians, to the Paschal Victim
Offer your thankful praises!
A Lamb the sheep redeems;
Christ, who only is sinless,
Reconciles sinners to the Father.
Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous:
The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.
Speak, Mary, declaring
What you saw, wayfaring.
“The tomb of Christ, who is living,
The glory of Jesus’ resurrection;
bright angels attesting,
The shroud and napkin resting.
Yes, Christ my hope is arisen;
to Galilee he goes before you.”
Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining.
Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!
Amen. Alleluia.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us be glad and rejoice in it.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus Appears by the Lake
After this, Jesus revealed himself to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed to them in this way:
Simon Peter, Thomas who was called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples were together;
Simon Peter said to them:
“I’m going fishing.”
They replied:
“We will come with you.”
And they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Just after daybreak, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not realize it was Jesus.
Jesus called out:
“Children, do you have any fish to share?”
They answered:
“Nothing.”
Then he said to them:
“Throw the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”
When they had lowered the net, they couldn’t pull it in because of the large number of fish.
Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter:
“It’s the LORD!”
At these words, “It’s the LORD!” Simon Peter put on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and jumped into the sea.
The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish; they were not far from land, about a hundred meters.
When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and some bread.
Jesus said to them:
“Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
So Simon Peter went over and pulled the net to shore. It was full of big fish—one hundred and fifty-three—but, despite this, the net was not torn.
Jesus said to them:
“Come, have breakfast.”
And not one of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” for they knew it was the LORD.
Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and he did the same with the fish.
This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after rising from the dead.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For the Church, that it may continue proclaiming the Good News of the Risen Lord and bearing witness to him, even if these annoy outsiders or even some of its own members, we pray:
– For our Christian communities, that without fear we may live our faith openly and do what is right and good in the name of Jesus, we pray:
– For all and each of us that we may recognize with faith and love the presence of the Lord in one another, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,
you put good words on our tongue
and you fill our hands with good gifts;
you entrust even your Son to us
and place him in our hands.
Through him then, and together with him,
let us become to the world
your word and your gift, your sign of hope,
and make us capable of bearing witness
to your love for people.
We ask you this, in the name of Jesus, the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord God, our Father,
your Son Jesus, invited us today
to come and eat the food of himself,
which he had prepared for us.
May we too, invite people far and near
to share the table of the things we have
and of the best that is in us –
our love and compassion, our encouraging word,
and our presence to one another.
May this be the sign to those around us,
that your risen Son lives among us,
now and for ever.
Blessing
May we raise up one another and bring one another healing and peace in the name of our Risen Lord, Jesus. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION:
Jn 21:1-14
A God who cooks breakfast for you!
The Gospel according to John makes two references to charcoal fires. Those two stories are connected: first, at Peter's denial of the Lord and second, at his rehabilitation. On the night before the Lord’s passion, it was at a fireplace that he denied Jesus thrice by saying, “I don’t even know the man” (Matthew 26:72-74). It is possible that the fire on the shore, with Jesus standing beside, reminded him of his denial of his Master.
It is mentioned in today’s gospel reading that “None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord”. They knew that only Christ could love them to that extent. In fact, during the crucial moments of Christ's life, all the disciples deserted him. Eventually, they reunited at the same place where he had first called them. He comes again to search for them by the Sea of Tiberias, calling out to them a second time. He walks at their pace because love is patient. Love can patiently wait, knowing that, ultimately, there is goodness in everyone.
Jesus ensured two things on the banks of Tiberias: First, he never blamed them for their disloyalty but rather embraced them as they were. Second, he appreciated their hard work and invited them to take some fish from what they had gathered to make the breakfast still delicious. There is a touching simplicity and intimacy in the Risen Lord , who cooks fish on a charcoal fire and invites his friends to have some breakfast.
In true love, all imperfections of the other person disappear. “Lord, grant me the grace to seek your mercy and offer it to others.”
==============
John 21: 1-14
The power in his name: Jesus, our Saviour
The Feast of Mark the Evangelist falls on April 25 is suspended this year as this day falls within the Easter Octave. In today’s first reading from Acts 4:1-12, Peter boldly proclaims that the crippled man was healed "by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth." This moment reminds us of the Gospel truth: there is power in the name of Jesus. It is not just a name but a presence, a source of strength, and the key to salvation.
The Gospel of John presents another moment of faith. After a long, fruitless night of fishing, the apostles followed Jesus’ simple instruction to cast their nets again. Their obedience led to an overwhelming catch, just as Peter once obeyed Jesus when he first called him to follow. These stories reveal that faith in Jesus and trust in his name lead to miracles and blessings in abundance.
Peter's confidence did not come from himself but from the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who inspires us to profess Jesus, to call upon him, and to trust in his guidance. The name of Jesus is not a mere word—it carries divine authority and the power to change lives.
Pope Francis once gave an anecdote of the example of a humble man, a father of eight, who worked for decades in the Archiepiscopal Curia of Buenos Aires whom he knew during his days as the archbishop. Before every task, he whispered, "Jesus!" When asked why, he responded, "When I say 'Jesus,' I feel strong. I know He is beside me." This was not theological knowledge but a lived experience of faith.
In a world filled with false saviours, we are called to remember that there is no other name by which we are saved (Acts 4:12). Let us entrust ourselves to Jesus and call upon Him daily. And as Our Lady teaches us, "Do whatever He tells you."