Thoughts for the Day

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.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ 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.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt 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. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.’ (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, ‘Follow me.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

If you have to ask someone "Do you love me?" there is usually a problem. We know when we are loved, it doesn't have to be said in words necessarily, but is often indicated by small gestures like a smile or touch. When a child asks if they are loved, their need for reassurance often says far more than they realise.

So why was Jesus asking Simon Peter this question, not just once, but three times? Well firstly, we need to remember that this incident takes place after Jesus' resurrection. Jesus appears to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee (called Sea of Tiberias here) , and he calls Peter by his original name, "Simon, son of John", not "Peter" the rock on which he was to build his Church. The three questions also seem to underline the three times Peter denied knowing Jesus in the High Priest's courtyard the night before the latter's crucifixion. Perhaps Jesus asks these questions not because he needs reassurance that Peter loves him, but because he wants Peter to realise that despite his faults those three denials have been wiped out by the three answers "Lord, you know that I love you!"

When we love someone, we love them faults and all. In fact I would say we love them because of their faults - they simply wouldn't be the person we loved without them! That is how we are loved by God! The question for us today is, "How much do we love God?" He calls each of us regularly, through our thoughts, our conscience, and through other people. If we say we love Him, then we have to respond to the final call "Follow me!" each and every day, wherever He will lead us.

Lord Jesus,
when we say that we will follow You
help us to remember that this is a commitment for life,
through the bad and the good times,
and requires more than words,
for it's also a promise to change our way of life,
and to follow You wherever You will take us.
Amen.