“When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.’ So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. (…) When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
John 21
Today’s Gospel account takes us to the plain region by the Sea of Tiberias where Jesus had begun His public ministry and appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. I always pondered how Simon Peter could count the fish and why their number was precisely 153. St. Jerome, in his commentaries on Scripture, gives us an interesting explanation of this number. He states that ancient zoologists calculated the species of fish at exactly 153. So we see that the number is symbolic of the whole of humanity for whom the disciples will cast their net. The net symbolizes the Church starting with the disciples and the fishing refers to their apostolic mission. We can agree or disagree with St. Jerome’s interpretation; however, it reminds us of the true nature of the Christ’s Church and its mission: everyone is invited to be her member and the apostolic mission embraces all people. That truth of universality of the Church brings to our minds a simple reflection: I can and I should find my own place in the Church. When doubts, problems, troubles come upon us and everything seems to be shadowed, there is one remarkable question left: Do you love me? The personal response to that question changed Simon Peter and can change us also if we take it seriously and honestly: Lord, you know that I love you!
The month of May is called a Marian month since it is dedicated in a special way to the honour of the Blessed Virgin, who perfectly fulfilled the will of the Father and became a model for us in how we should respond to God’s call. In two weeks, the members of the Catholic Women League of our parish will crown the statue of the Blessed Virgin in our church. This Friday the CWL will begin their annual convention with an opening Mass presided by Bishop Douglas Crosby in St. Mary’s Church. The CWL members of our parish will co-host that Mass. This year the St. Lawrence CWL celebrates their 70th anniversary. We offer our Congratulations to all the CWL members and express our sincere appreciation for their service to God and Canada and indeed our Parish!
The Holy Father asks the faithful throughout the world to pray during the month of May for the following intention: “We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service”.
This Saturday during the 1 o’clock Mass the students of St. Lawrence School will receive Holy Communion for the very first time. Let us pray for them and their families!
This Monday, May 2nd, we hold a memorial of Saint Athanasius the Great. Athanasius was a patriarch of Alexandria in Egypt in the 4th century. He is well known as a tireless defender of the Catholic faith against Arius and his followers who denied the divinity of the Son of God. Due to his steadfastness and uncompromising attitude towards the true Catholic faith he was banished from his Episcopal See five times and spent a total of 17 years in exile.
This Friday, May 6th, we observe the memorial of Saint François de Laval, Bishop, who is a Patron of the Bishops of Canada. He was born in 1623 in France and became the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Quebec. He was beatified by Pope St. John Paul II in 1980 and made saint by Pope Francis in 2014 by equipollent canonization. The pope may permit the veneration as a saint without executing the ordinary judicial process of canonization described by ecclesiastical law the cult of one long venerated as such locally. This act of a pope is denominated either “equipollent” or “equivalent canonization” or “confirmation of cultus”. According to the rules instituted by Pope Benedict XIV, there are three conditions for an equipollent canonization: (1) existence of an ancient cultus of the person, (2) a general and constant attestation to the virtues or martyrdom of the person by credible historians, and (3) uninterrupted fame of the person as a worker of miracles. Let us keep our bishops in our prayers!We also observe this week the first Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the month with special prayers for the vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, for reparation to the Most Sacred heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary.
God bless,
Fr. Peter