Reflection for Friday, Seventh Week of Easter

TODAY'S WORD

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

John: 21:17 "Jesus said to Peter the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love Me?”


1st READING REFLECTION

Let the courageous example of St Paul also be an inspiration

His life of bold witness to Jesus and His Resurrection, made him to become a point of discussion even among the high Roman ruling circle (Acts 25:13-21)


GOSPEL REFLECTION

The setting for the scene in today’s gospel reading is a meal over a charcoal fire that the risen Lord has with his disciples, by the shore of the Sea of Galilee.

The only other reference to a charcoal fire in this gospel of John is in the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus.

The gospel says that Peter was warming himself by a charcoal fire in the courtyard of the high priest as he denied Jesus three times.

Whereas this first charcoal fire spoke of Peter’s breaking communion with Jesus by publicly denying him, the second charcoal fire speaks of the risen Lord’s desire to enter into communion with his disciples, including Peter, as he shares a meal with them.

The Lord continues to enter into communion with us, even when we break our communion with him by what we do or fail to do.

The Lord remains faithful to us, even when we are unfaithful to him.

Yet, when we are unfaithful to him in some way, the Lord looks to us to renew our faithfulness to him, to begin again the journey of discipleship.

That is why, when the meal was over, the risen Lord turns to Peter and asks him three times, ‘Do you love me?’

Peter who denied Jesus three times is given the opportunity by the Lord to renew his love for the Lord three times.

The question the Lord asks is significant, ‘Do you love me?’

It is the question he asks us all when we have been unfaithful to him in some way.

The Lord who loves us is always calling us into a loving relationship with himself.

He wants us, firstly, to experience his love for us, and then to remain in his love by loving him in return.

Earlier in this gospel, Jesus declared that we remain in his love, we show our love for him, by loving one another as he has loved us.

This is why when Peter renews his love for the Lord, the Lord says to him, ‘Feed my sheep’.

He was saying to Peter, ‘Look after the other disciples; love them as I love you’.

This same call is addressed to each one of us.


RESOLUTION

Let's resolve in response to the Lord’s faithful love of us, we are to be good shepherds to one another in love.

Have a blessed day.

Let's prepare our heart's for the coming of th Holy Spirit.