Grace Like a Spider’s Thread
(Acts 4:1-12; Ps 118; Jn 21:1-14)
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Pope Francis states that to be a missionary disciple is to first have a personal encounter with Jesus, and then to share that encounter with others.
The Gospel today recounts the third appearance of the Risen Lord to his disciples – truly a personal encounter. In writing this account, John shows himself to be a theologian of memory. The miraculous catch of fish recalls an earlier miraculous catch when Peter first met the Lord. The charcoal fire recalls the three times that Peter denied the Lord beside a charcoal fire. The bread that Jesus took and broke recalls the Last Supper. All these details underline the personal encounter the apostles had of the historical Jesus and now the risen Christ. They are an invitation for us to recall our own personal experiences of the Risen Lord in our lives.
In the first reading from Acts, we see Peter as a missionary disciple, sharing his personal experience of Jesus as risen Lord and Messiah with his Jewish people. Filled with the Spirit, he proclaims the first kerygma, that is, a first proclamation of the Good News of Jesus. In Jesus, there is resurrection from the dead, he proclaims. This healing happened through the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom they had crucified and whom God raised from the dead. He also proclaims that Jesus is the stone that was rejected and has become the cornerstone. Finally, he adds that the name of Jesus is the only source of salvation for humanity. Truly, Peter is a model for us of a missionary disciple, proclaiming the Good News for all to hear.
We are invited by these readings to reflect on our own personal experiences of Jesus as Risen Lord in our lives, and to have the courage to share those experiences with others. As a young seminarian on retreat, I was encouraged by the retreat director to pray for all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I sat under an evergreen tree the next day with great enthusiasm and expectation. It turned out to be the most boring, driest hour of prayer of the whole retreat, leaving me disappointed and disillusioned.
Suddenly, however, I noticed a spider’s thread hanging right before my eyes and nose. It would appear and disappear depending on the slight breeze and the sunlight. Wondering where that spider’s thread had come from, I suddenly heard the words, as if spoken from inside my head, “My grace is as fine as a spider’s thread. It is always there, although most often you do not see it.” I looked around to see if someone else had spoken those words, but I was alone. With awe, I realized that this inner voice was the answer to my prayer, in an unexpected way.
I immediately grasped the meaning of this incident for me – in my life, God’s grace would always be operative, but most often in imperceptible, very gentle ways. This was truly a personal encounter with the Risen Lord, and one I delight to share with others. Guess that makes me a missionary disciple.
The Eucharist that we celebrate now is itself an act of grace, a personal encounter with Jesus through Word and sacrament.
We who celebrate it are empowered to go out and be missionary disciples, sharing our personal experiences of the Risen Lord with others to build up the kingdom of God here and now.
Well, Alleluia ! Alleluia ! The Lord has risen and he wants his disciples to spread the news to the Isrealites that the Holy Spirit is really him. If we experience the risen Lord , we have to spread the news to people how he appeared to us . For me it was 2 years ago during the Christmas mass when I was singing I can raise my voice that high like a microphone and having strange sounds too . I don’t need to move my mouth when I was singing . I actually receive this gift 2 years ago and it is not just this time. I was shocked and surprised. I had the feeling it is the Holy Spirit present or it is Jesus Christ. It is just this time I can shake and speak into tongues. I did share it to people during the mass or celebrations in special times. The singing I only use it during mass and I was born with this gift . Amen . Blessings!
I am glad you you have this gift or inspirations the spider’s thread hanging right before your eyes. It is first I heard of it. We are the missionary disciples. Thanks for your experience and lessons on spreading the word. I also prayed for people with this gift of tongues. Gracias! Des Coloures !
During the Easter celebrations and Christmas celebration the people was wondering who was the one singing those two songs during the Eucharistic ministry . There was a phrase that the priest has to sing during the Eucharist, I was singing with him and helping him. I was awe I am singing that phrase that the priest is suppose to do. ( singing in tongues) . I can sing even without knowing the Chinese words because I do not know how to read or write Chinese. I am rejoice!