Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sunday, April 14, 2013.

First Reading: Acts 9:1-20
“Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” If you persecute those who follow Jesus, you are persecuting him. Does this remind you of something? If we feed the hungry, attend to the sick and care for the oppressed, Matthew reminded us, we do those things also for Jesus. As the body of Christ on earth, we are all called to care for one another. When Saul gets this, finally, he turns from enemy of the church to become Paul, one of its greatest advocates.

Psalm: Psalm 30
According to tradition, this ancient hymn offers thanksgiving for recovery from a serious illness. There is faithful optimism in the lines that remind us that while sadness and anger are short-lived, the joy of God’s favor lives forever. This idea fits in with today’s lessons about Paul’s conversion from enmity to life in Christ and Peter’s mission to tell the world about Jesus after having denied him three times.

Second Reading: Revelation 5:11-14
In last week’s reading from Revelation, early Christians heard that Christ would supplant the Roman emperors as “ruler of the kings of the earth.” Today’s lesson is filled with more symbolic language, and it reveals an unexpected surprise: Jesus’s kingship is not that of a roaring lion or any earthly ruler, but a lamb, a vulnerable creature, symbol of the Passover; a slaughtered victim now raised and glorified for us.

Gospel: John 21:1-19
Jesus appears to some of the disciples, shows them where to find a net-load of fish and cooks them dinner … and then he asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Peter is offended that Jesus has to ask this repeatedly. Do you think that Peter could have forgotten the terrible night when he denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed? This doesn’t seem to matter now, as Jesus directs Peter, “Feed my lambs. … Feed my sheep.”