Holy Communion for the Third Sunday of Easter: celebrant the Revd Tola Badejo. Junior Church takes place at the same time in the hall.

First reading: Acts 9. 1 – 20
Gospel: John 21. 1– 19

Today's readings are both about encounters with the risen Christ, one by a professed enemy of his followers, the other by his closest friends. The passage from Acts, which tells of the beginning of Saul's conversion into Paul, does not really explain Saul's motives: perhaps, angry and disappointed that Jesus was not the Messiah he expected, and concerned that the followers of Jesus will cause pointless trouble between Jews and Romans, he is determined to break up their movement before it becomes established. The dramatic episode in which he sees a blinding light and hears the voice of Jesus marks the point at which he recognises that his previous certainty had been misplaced, and his life and beliefs are completely transformed. In Caravaggio's famous painting in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, Saul's face reflects the light while his arms are thrown open, as if to welcome a much-loved friend. (The whole painting is shown in the attachment beneath.)

Compared to the events of Paul's conversion, the scene in the Gospel is ordinary; just a normal (and unsuccessful) night at work for some Galilean fishermen, which ends in a way that is simultaneously miraculous (in that they meet the risen Christ) and entirely normal (Jesus gets their breakfast for them). Like Saul, the disciples have to re-think their previous understanding of reality; also like Paul, Peter has great and challenging responsibilities placed upon him.

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