June 7, 2019

Gospel: John 21:15-19
After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” And Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Look after my sheep.”And a third time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”
Jesus then said, “Feed my sheep! Truly, I say to you, when you were young, you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will put a belt around you, and lead you where you do not wish to go.”
Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And he added, “Follow me!”

Reflections
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Jesus asks seemingly sim­ ple, easy and the same question to Peter. Actually, the question asked three times is difficult to answer specially if you are talking to the person eye to eye and you have not yet really understood what he means.
At first, Peter is not bothered by it, but when Jesus repeats it the second and third time, he becomes nervous. Though he remains composed and a little bit changed because of the previous appearances of Jesus, he must handle the situation to the best of his ability and swift, in the hea­ ring of his fellow apostles. Thus, Peter answers consistently in the affirmative. He is talking not anymore to Jesus who preached in Galilee and in Jerusalem, but to the Risen Lord who has over­ come all oppositions and death.
Jesus appreciates his answers and how he will end up loving him.
The Risen Lord may be asking the same question to us. Do we, not just I, and my family, my com­ munity and my church love him? We show our love for Jesus by feeding the hungry and taking care of the poor and protecting their rights. There is no such thing as love without service and justice.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2019