Friday Reflection

Daily Gospel Reflection May 29^th 2020

Gospel                                                     JN 21:15-19

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?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that he had said to him a 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.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but 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.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

Dear Friends and Family

            “It was lost in translation” is a phrase we hear when a message is not quite conveyed correctly. Consider the encounter between Jesus and Peter.  One clear point is that there is a consequence to Peter’s three-fold denial of Jesus.  Since he denied him three times, Peter needs to profess his love for Jesus three times.  This is where our limited English language fails us.  The Greeks have four separate words for love: agape, which is a total unconditional love between man and God, philia, which is a brotherly love, eros, which is an erotic love and finally, storge, which is the love a parent has for their child.  When Jesus first asks Peter, “Do you love me?” he is asking Peter, do you agape me?  Peter responds, “Yes, Lord I philia you.”  I love you like a brother.  So Jesus asks Peter a second time, “Peter, do you agape me?”  Peter says yes, but changes it again to the philia form of love.  Finally Jesus asks, “Simon, Son of John do you philia me?”  Peter responds, “Yes, I philia you.”  Jesus wants more from Peter but Jesus is willing to accept Peter love where it is.  Their relationship will grow and change with time.

            The readings this week have all been about love.  Love requires a response, an action from both involved.  God expresses in many ways his all consuming love for us.  He desires our love in response.  It is the nature of love and the gift of free will that allows authentic love to grow.  If it’s a one-sided affair where God does all the loving and we ignore it or do not respond, authentic love is not possible.  In this encounter, Jesus takes what Peter gives him and together they grow closer.  We know this is true when we look at the end.  Jesus prophesies how Peter will die and when Peter is put to death he requests that he not be crucified like Jesus.  He does not feel worthy to suffer in the same manner so he is crucified upside down.  Peter shows his total, unconditional agape type of love in this action.  Now it is our turn.  We heard of God’s extravagant love for us and how others like Peter responded.  Let us pray, God of redeeming grace, you restored Peter to his prominent place among the Apostles with your great love. May your mercy and forgiveness bring us closer to you. We ask this in your most Holy Name. Amen.