"Come and have Breakfast"

Reflection for 3^rd Sunday of Easter

“Come and have breakfast”, Jesus said to Peter and the other disciples as the hauled the heavy net of fish to the shore. Experts claim that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is the food that supplies the early burst of energy with which we begin our day! It is the meal that announces the end of the long night of hunger and the dawn of a new day. Thus after breakfast, we delve into the day’s activities. It is not expected that one goes back to bed after breakfast.

The Master prepared breakfast for His disciples. “Jesus came and took the bread and gave to them, and so with the fish.” Imagine the love and compassion with which he prepared fish and bread for them. After toiling all night long without a catch, they would be physically, emotionally and morally downcast. There was urgent need for strength and courage. Jesus fed them with food which points to His self offering in the Eucharist. They dined with Him in silence; none could say anything. In silence they knew it was the Lord. Thus they offered their whole being i.e. with silence and love, they mingled their whole being with Jesus but through the ‘Lord’s Breakfast.’ Now, a new dawn has been announced and empowered.

Jesus showed immediately through His discuss with Peter that He fed them that they might brace up for a greater responsibility. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, feed my lambs.” Dining with Jesus, and only with Jesus, is the source of strength and courage to begin and sustain a new life. This was how the apostles got the courage to withstand the High Priest. Another set of responsibility that the Breakfast announces is to feed others.

Man seeks nourishment in different ways. Most wordily and canal sources of refreshment, self-expression and strength, give only immediate and temporary pleasure. They cannot satisfy. Therefore we follow Jesus!  He invites us to come and have breakfast—the one time most important meal.

Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Immaculate  Conception Catholic Church,

Abule-Oshun, Satelite Town, Lagos.

Sunday April 5th, 2019.