April 14, 2023
Friday for di Octave of Easter
Di Readings for Today
Listen for English
Jesus tell dem, “Make una come chop breakfast.” And none of the disciples get mind ask am, “Who You be?” because dem don know say na the Lord. Jesus come near, take the bread give dem, and E give dem the fish the same way. This na the third time wey Jesus show imself to im disciples after E don rise from death. John 21:12–14
The times wey Jesus show imself after im Resurrection get misteri wey surround dem. No be misteri wey dey cause confusion, but misteri wey deep well-well and dey fill person with wonder and reverence. For this third time wey Jesus show imself to im disciples, E first talk to dem from the shore after dem don fish all night without catching anything. E tell dem make dem try again and throw the net for the right side of the boat. Dem do am without even knowing say na Jesus dey talk to dem. But when dem catch fish pass wetin dem fit handle, dem come know say na the Lord.
The “misteri” wey dey inside this appearance after the Resurrection get plenty sides. Why the disciples no recognize Jesus at first? Why Jesus tell dem make dem throw the net for the right side of the boat? Why na through this catch of one hundred and fifty-three big fish dem come recognize Jesus? Why Jesus dey cook breakfast for the disciples for the shore? And why John write say “none of the disciples get mind ask am, ‘Who You be?’” Even though the saints and great people wey dey explain Scripture don give answers to all these misteri over many centuries, e still good make we just think deep about the fact say true-true, misteri surround the times wey Jesus show imself after im Resurrection.
For storybook wey concern misteri, dem dey give the reader different clues wey no too clear, to help am try understand and solve the misteri. Dem make the clues no too clear on purpose, so that solving am go sweet more and go make the reader reason harder. But when e concern a “misteri of faith,” like the misteri of faith wey surround the times wey Jesus show imself after im Resurrection, na completely different kind of misteri. For cases like these, na misteri wey deep and wide well-well, and e fit draw us deeper and deeper into the nature of God wey no get limit and the work wey E dey do to save us.
Take, for example, this one line wey we quote above: “And none of the disciples get mind ask am, ‘Who You be?’ because dem don know say na the Lord.” E be like say the disciples gather round Jesus as E dey prepare breakfast for the shore, and dem sit down there with wonder and reverence for am. The way dem remain quiet with wonder and reverence for am when E show imself this time show say words no reach. Normally, when you see person wey you happy to see, you go greet am and begin talk, ask am how e dey, and things like that. But for here, the disciples remain with this holy wonder and reverence, dey listen to am, dey receive this food, and dey think deep about the misteri of im presence as the One wey don rise from death.
Today, think deep about the ways wey our Lord dey come meet you. E easy make you no notice am, because im constant presence for our lives get misteri too. Imagine if the disciples no listen when Jesus call dem say, “Make una throw the net for the right side of the boat…” If dem no obey that command, dem fit never come know say na the Lord. Think deep about the ways wey our Lord dey speak to you. You dey answer am? You dey recognize am? You dey allow im divine presence draw you enter this holy wonder and reverence? Follow the example of the disciples and dey look out for the constant presence of our Lord all around you.
My divine Lord, You dey with me all the time, day and night, but plenty times I no dey notice You or worship You. Help me make I dey more aware of Your presence for my life. As I dey do this, help me enter these holy misteri more deeply with love, devotion, wonder and reverence. Jesus, na You I trust.
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