Third Sunday of Easter (Year C)

First Reading - Acts 9.19b-20,23,25-28

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles. After several days with the disciples in Damascus, Saul began to proclaim, in the synagogues there, that Jesus is the Son of God. The leaders of the synagogues in Damascus began to plot against Saul, even to kill him, but the disciples took Saul, by night, and let him down through an opening in the city wall, lowering him in a basket. Saul returned to Jerusalem, and there he attempted to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was now a disciple. So Barnabas took Saul to the apostles, and described for them how, on the road, Saul had seen the Lord, and the Lord had spoken to Saul, and how, in Damascus, Saul had spoken boldly, in the name of Jesus. So Saul was accepted by the disciples in Jerusalem. This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - Revelation 5.11-14

A reading from the book of Revelation. As I looked, I heard the voices of thousands of angels, all around the throne, and the four living creatures, and the elders, all singing in full voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive all wisdom, and power; all glory, and honour, and praise!’ Then I heard every creature, in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, singing to the one who was seated on the throne, and to the Lamb: ‘Blessing and honour and glory and power, be yours for ever and ever!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped. And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - John 21.1-19

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John. Some of the disciples gathered by the sea of Galilee: Simon Peter, Thomas the Twin, Nathaniel, the sons of Zebedee, and two others. Simon Peter decided to go fishing, and the others went with him - but all night, they caught nothing. Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus asked them whether they had any fish, and they said ‘no’.

He said to them, ‘Cast your net to the other side of the boat, and you will find some.’ So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because there were so many fish. ‘The disciple Jesus loved’ said to Simon Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ On hearing this, Peter jumped into the lake, and headed towards the shore. The other disciples followed in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. Going ashore, they saw a charcoal fire, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, ‘Bring some of the fish that you have caught.’ So Simon Peter went back to the boat, and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred and fifty-three of them; and even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, ‘Come and have breakfast.’ None of the disciples doubted; they knew it was the Lord. Jesus took the bread, and gave it to them; and then the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me, more than these?’ Simon Peter said to Jesus, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ Then a second time, Jesus said to him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Simon Peter said to Jesus, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Take care of my sheep.’ Then a third time, Jesus said to him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was distressed that Jesus asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me’. Peter replied to Jesus, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to Peter, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, I tell you, when you were young, you would fasten your own belt, and go wherever you wished. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.) Then Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Follow me.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.