In this 3rd Sunday of Easter Gospel reading – “The Appearance to the Seven Disciples” after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to the disciples from the shore and instructed them to cast their nets “over the right side of the boat.” With obedience, they did and caught 153 large fish. These 153 fish represent everyone who receives His gift of grace and obtains salvation. The boat represents the Church, and Christ offers the gift of salvation through His Church.
We need to reflect today, have we listened to the Word of God as it is preached by the Church, and immersed ourselves in the grace given through the Sacraments. Follow the Ten Commandments faithfully. Always continually open ourselves to the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and seek to be among that catch of fish caught on the “right side”. Never doubt that hell is real and possible. For that reason, we must never waver from our fidelity to Christ, so that we will remain firmly grounded in His grace and share one day in His Resurrection.
The Liturgical colour theme is white in Ordinary Time, with white, red, yellow, purple, and green.
White, as a symbol of holiness, is the colour of light that symbolises joy, cleanliness, goodness, loyalty, innocence, unifying, and purity resulting from Faith that listens to God’s voice and believes. It also symbolises righteousness, conquest, victory, peace, saints, completion, triumph, and the beginning of a new life. Red represents discipline, courage, love, and passion. Yellow symbolises light, which in turn is a symbol of the presence of God, colour of joy, particularly spiritual joy, love of God, reflecting the glory and majesty of God. Purple symbolises repentance and penance. Green symbolises praise, spiritual growth in Christ, nurtured by the Church and the Gospel. Green represents abundance, new life, anticipation, new beginning, flourishing, healing, restoration, and hope.