Scripture/Bible: When they had finished
breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me
more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love
you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." 16 A second time he said to
him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes,
Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my
sheep." 17 He said to him the third
time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because
he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him,
"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to
him, "Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to
you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but
when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you
and carry you where you do not wish to go." 19 (This
he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to
him, "Follow me." John
21:15-19
Reflection: In the scripture text of today we see Jesus getting down to preparing these
disciples after a good breakfast and what better way than beginning with Simon
Peter, the one who was to lead the community of faith.
When
we want a change in our local community we normally want to start with the sacrifice
of the poor, vulnerable and the innocents. Burn them at the stake, beat them, stretch them
and bend them.
When
Jesus after having himself gone through it all with victory over the cross of
sin and shame, teaches Simon Peter and all generations of leaders, the secret
of true leadership; “do you love me more than
these?" And if yes, then; "Feed my lambs."
This
call is also in consonance with the two great commandments he taught us: Love
God and love of neighbor. (Mt. 12: 28-31,
22:36-40, Mk. 12: 28-31, Lk. 10: 25-27)
In the
process Jesus is clearly spelling out his agenda for the kingdom; what it means
to love one’s neighbor and how to primarily do it? By feeding them with the
word of God and the truth of the gospel but first love God as revealed in
Jesus.
Jesus
revealed God’ love in his human body to perfection and the cross is the visible
sign of that perfect love.
The
latter commandment is in no way greater than the first. Here in this action of
Jesus it is clarified and made clear that the love of God as revealed in Christ
Jesus is primary, necessary and of all relevance in order for one to be an instrument
of love towards one’s neighbor.
In
this process one may begin with friendship love or the limited human love but
it has to grow in that depth of self-sacrificing love which is made possible
only in loving Jesus, because he is the perfect mirror of this love.
Only
Jesus accepts our imperfect love and sacrifice and makes it perfect with his
wisdom and grace at work in us, at various stages, just the way he did it with
Simon Peter at once in the three stages of questioning.
Prayer: "Lord,
you know everything; you know that I love you." (vs.17) Help me abide in your love (cfr. Jn. 15: 9-10)
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