First Reading - Acts 25:13-21
Gospel - John 21:15-19
The first reading presents the ordeal of Paul for the sake of his love for Jesus. Paul undergoes trials before King Agrippa and Queen Bernice, who find the accusations labeled against him implausible to condemn him. Hence, this scene clarifies that Paul suffers imprisonment and punishment unjustly for the sake of Jesus, yet he doesn't stop preaching the good news to people. In fact, he daringly does it in front of high-ranking officials. Paul shows his great love for Jesus in everything. Love becomes the driving force for his every action.
Today's gospel passage gives us a post-resurrection apparition scene. After miraculously providing breakfast for his apostles who had been fishing all night, Jesus conferred on Peter the Primacy in his Church, which Jesus had promised as a reward for Peter’s profession of faith. As if to give Peter a triple chance to atone for his triple denial, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me (agápe love) more than these?” Jesus asks Peter if he loves Jesus more than he loves his boat and fishing equipment, occupation, family, and friends. Jesus is also asking whether Peter loves him more than the other Apostles do. Instead of boasting of his own fidelity, strength, and greater love, as he had done before his triple denial of the Master, Peter humbly puts everything in Christ’s hands. “Lord, You know well that I love (philia love = love of a friend) You.”
As a result of Peter's profession of faith, he is conferred a dual reward. These rewards raised Peter as the head of the Church, gave him primacy in the Church, and assured him of his martyr's death like his Master.
1) Primacy of jurisdiction over the Church was formally defined by the First Vatican Council (Vatican I) in the First Dogmatic Constitution “On the Church of Christ” (Pastor Aeternus, Chapter 1), declaring, “We therefore teach and declare that, according to the testimony of the Gospel, the primacy of jurisdiction over the universal Church of God was immediately and directly promised and given to Blessed Peter the Apostle by Christ our Lord. […] And it was upon Simon Peter alone, that Jesus, after his Resurrection, bestowed the jurisdiction of chief pastor and ruler over all his fold in the words: ‘Feed My lambs; feed My sheep (Jn 21:15-17).’”
2) Peter was also given the promise of a martyr’s death because real love involves responsibility as well as sacrifice. According to tradition, St. Peter followed his Master to the point of dying by crucifixion — head downwards, because he felt unworthy to die as Jesus had done. This happened during Nero’s persecution of the Christians, which took place between the years 64 and 68 in Rome.
Dear friends, we need to pray for the Pope, the successor of Peter, and for the bishops, the successors of the Apostles, and to support them in their ministry.
Jesus is a God of second chances who gives chance after chance to sinners to return to his love, as is made clear by Jesus conferring primacy in his Church on the repentant Peter.
The gospel passage reminds us today that our responsibility is to issue from love. This is to say, love has to become a motivating force to carry out our responsibility. Jesus questions Peter regarding his love for him, and Peter responds positively. Each positive response of Peter entrusts him with a responsibility. Hence, this also means that every responsibility must have a backing force as love, however small or big the responsibility may be. Let's remind ourselves of the words of St. Mother Teresa: "It's not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing." Let's do every responsibility with love and every responsibility will become a joy for us.
May God inspire us to always grow in His love.
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