Who do you love?

Greetings on this the Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Readings: Acts 25:13b-21; Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab; Jn 21:15-19

Notes

Peter’s denial of Jesus is recorded in all four gospels. Only in the gospel of John do we see the details of his rehabilitation.

Love

• “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
• He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
• He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Action

• Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (Children and Babies).
• He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” (Ordered behavior and the liability to do rightly).
• Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep”. (Adults; Ewes and Rams.).

Future

• When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.
• And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Summary

Paul sought to be judged not by the King Agrippa, titular king, (and Bernice) nor by Antonius Felix (and Drusilla) nor by Porcius Festus (current Roman authority) but by the Emperor, the chief judge of the Roman Empire. They were judging Paul by what he has done.

Peter was being judged by Jesus by what Peter loves.

Reflection

Do you love me dialog is highly regarded for the nature of the judgement and the rehabilitation of Peter. We are judged by Jesus but in a very narrow focus. That’s a fact. We are judged by what we love and then what we do. But first of all and of the highest importance is the question, “Who do you love?“

Personal Reflection

Jesus challenges us to get our love and our actions into alignment. Who do we love and how to we tend to those we love is the nature of the question. But unlike the roman judges for Paul, the centering question is love.

Love, tend and feed. Everyone.

First Reading

And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar. [Later] And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.

Responsorial

The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us.

Gospel Acclamation

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.

Gospel

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry