I like an app that does one thing very well. The Evangelizo App fits.
Catholic service: Daily Gospel, the gospel, the readings, the saints, the prayers, in 10 languages : French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, German, Arabic, Italian, Polish, Armenian
You can find it:
iTunes Store
Android Market
Mobile Browser Friendly Version
I’ve got it on my iPhone and Droid Razr.
The Gospel reading for today is Jn 21:1-14. In it there is a very specific mention of 153 fish being caught in a net that did not tear. I’ve always wondered what the meaning of the number of fish is. Today our our Pastor told us what he had found from his own research.
Here’s a segment from the reading:
So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.
Apparently at the time of the Gospel what we would now call zoologists had categorized 153 species of fish. Therefore the subjective meaning of the number would be the bringing to Jesus all the people of the world. There is also significance to the fact that the net was not torn, meaning that Jesus’ love is large enough and strong enough to encompass everyone.
I’m sure there are other interpretations of what this number means but it’s the first time I can remember hearing this explanation and it not only makes sense but it really helped bring the meaning of this particular Gospel passage home to me in today’s Mass.