DAILY MEDITATION: "Do you love me more than these?"

Liturgical day: Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Gospel text (Jn 21,15-19): After Jesus and his disciples had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?". 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".

"Do you love me more than these?"

Fr. Habel Jadera
(Bogor, Indonesia)

Today, Gospel tells us another story of Jesus’ appearance to His disciples. Intensely, the dialogue between Jesus and Peter illustrates God's mercy as a great love for the disciples and the world. This is not a common dialog between Jesus and His disciple, Peter. Both Jesus and Peter talk about love according to their perspectives. Jesus’ three questions: "Do you love me more than these?" could be seen as His act of reaffirming Peter's twofold status. As a disciple who loves Him more than others do, and as a disciple who loves Him more than he loves his fellow disciples. Indeed, Jesus’ great act of love requires a depth response from Peter.

By answering "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you", Simon seems to understand his three times failures in denying Jesus, Son of God who stands in front of him, who says to the disciples "don’t be afraid", "peace be unto you" (cf. Jn 14, 27; 20, 19).

Jesus concludes this important dialog with the affirmation of Peter's task and the authorities which have been given before (cf. Mt 16,18-20). Especially, when Jesus said, "Look after my sheep". Regarding this fulfillment of Jesus' commissions, it requires an extraordinary love, the love that is missionary in spirit. This missionary love must be going forth, as Pope Francis says "love creates bonds and expands existence, for it draws people out of themselves and towards others".

Jesus ensures this basic characteristic of love that is missionary to be His shepherds: To love Him more than anything. Finally, as Jesus' disciples, we are all called to guarantee that the "law of ecstasy" is operated. As Francis notes "the lover goes outside the self to find a fuller existence in another". Missionary love encourages us of moving beyond ourselves!

Source: evangeli.net