A Fishy Number

Posted on

In today’s reading from Acts 4, Peter and John spend the night in the clink and the next day they proclaim Jesus to the powers that be. The Scripture tells us that Peter was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” As we should be!

In the Gospel reading from John 21, the disciples have an encounter with Jesus at the Sea of Tiberias. The boys had been out fishing all night and had caught nothing when Jesus (unbeknownst to them) told them to fish off the right side of the boat. They dragged the net ashore and found that they had caught one hundred fifty-three large fish. How do they know how many fish there were and what’s the significance of this number?

Fisherman were taxed according to the number of fish they caught. So there was probably a tax collector at the shore who made sure the fish were counted. As to the significance of the number, some of the Church Fathers have suggested that that (153) was the number of nations in the known world at the time. It signifies that Christ (symbolized by the fish) would be brought to every nation on earth. Now you know!

Father, may we bring Christ to every person we meet, and every place we go, just as the Apostles did. Amen.

Today’s Readings

1 comment

  • Sheila Baker: April 18, 2020

    Hi Gus, First of all listening to the readings read by you each day have brought me closer to God. I have also purchased all of your “A Minute in the Church.
    I am 73 and a RC all my life. I go to church, etc… I am questioning why we make so much of saints and the Blessed Mother. You said today, salvation is through Jesus Christ and only him. I know we say Mary and the saints are intercessors but now after all these years, I am questioning why do we do this.
    I go into the church and St Francis is on the alter with candles all round him; you go to the National Shrine in DC the little Jesus of Prague is covered in real jewels and the statue has a cloak on and it gets changed! It is, respectfully, treated like a doll.
    I am getting very confused, I understand why some say it’s idolatry.
    In my opinion, I don’t think Jesus likes the riches of some of our churches, even in Rome. Sorry I am rambling. I have wanted to express this for years to someone, sorry it was you. Keep doing what you are doing, blessings to you and your family. Sheila B.

Leave a comment

All blog comments are checked prior to publishing

Hello You!

Join our mailing list