Acts 4:1-12 Ps 118:1-2 and 4, 22-24, 25-27a Jn 21:1-14

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

"So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish." John 21:6

The events in the first reading from Acts and the Gospel strike me as working in a circular pattern. In Acts, Peter and John are able to cure a cripple and gain disciples through the power of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. In the Gospel, the apostles gather an extraordinary amount of fish, and then they run to Jesus, who breaks bread with them. The Eucharist is central to everything. Jesus sacrificed himself (the first Eucharist), his disciples were able to work miracles, and then they go back to him and have another Eucharist.

So how does this relate to my life? I am a big fan of the Eucharist. I try to go to adoration as often as I can, and I found that all that time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has helped to deepen my experience of the Eucharist at Mass. I believe that the closer we come in devotion to the Eucharist, the more it is at the center of everything. I think the cycle the apostles participate in: Eucharist, action, Eucharist, is a really important part of being a Catholic.

In the Gospel, Jesus tells the apostles to put out their nets—both literally and figuratively— and because Jesus is raised from the dead, they are able to do things they never thought possible. So to be a disciple of Jesus, we have to put out our own nets, and with the Eucharist we have the power of God on our side.

This doesn’t have to be on the miracle-scale. Last month, I worked at a retreat, and despite my feeling of being ill-prepared and unenergetic, God was able to work through all of us on the team to make the retreat a great success. I think the message I get from today’s readings is to stay focused on the Eucharist, put out our nets, and see what happens.