Do You Love Me? Jesus’ Question for Us All
"Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?'"
(John 21: 15-19)
This Gospel reading is very near the end of the Gospel of John, just before the Ascension, which is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Jesus had established his Church from the cross when Blood and Water flowed from his side and would later reveal the Church to the world at Pentecost.
Now he prepares to return to heaven. He is talking to Peter, whom he has set as the leader, the rock, the foundation he will build his Church upon, promising that the gates of hell shall never prevail against her. He gave Peter the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven and the authority to loose and bind sins, which he also later gave to all the Apostles.
As Jesus prepares to leave this world and send the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, it seems that he is trying to confirm with Peter that he is ready to take on the work of spreading the good news and his Church throughout the world. He asks Peter to do this by feeding his lambs, tending his sheep, and feeding his sheep, making sure that Peter loves him enough to do whatever it takes to accomplish the task. Jesus wanted to make it clear to Peter that the mission he was undertaking would ultimately require him to make the same sacrifice he made. He even described to Peter the way he would die in order to glorify God. Yes, Jesus knows the Apostles will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down upon them at Pentecost, but he also knows how weak, easily discouraged, and prone to denial and betrayal these men could be when the going got tough, especially Peter.
For his part, Peter seems to be a little upset that Jesus keeps asking him, 'Do you love me?' But after seeing how Peter had reacted during his Passion and Death, he wanted Peter to fully understand that if he was going to follow him, things were not going to get easier. He would be persecuted, hated, and killed.
Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' This is the question Jesus posed to Peter over and over, and it is the same question he asks us over and over throughout our lives. Do you love me? Of course, our role in salvation history will never be as critical as the role Peter played, but it is important that we understand that we all truly do have a role to play in salvation history.
It is our responsibility to show the Lord we love him by discerning the calling God has for each one of us. By virtue of our Baptism and completed in our Confirmation, Jesus truly is calling each and every Christian to evangelize our family, our community, our city, state, nation, and even the world. We should all ask the Lord daily for the marching orders he has for us and pray that by the grace of God, through faith in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit living in us, we will have the courage and strength to carry out the good work he has for us.
In our reading from Acts, we see Paul arrested, charged, and brought before the tribunal. What were the charges? Proclaiming the Gospel about a man named Jesus. That's all—just proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus and that he had risen from the dead. This threatened the status quo, the culture, the power of those Jews in authority. This could not be tolerated. Who does Paul think he is, saying such things? We know that St. Paul, as well, was eventually killed because he refused to stop doing the work Jesus had called him to do.
On the 26th of May, the Church remembers St. Philip Neri, who answered God's call at 18 years of age when he left his home in Rome to live in seclusion and poverty and study theology. St. Philip Neri lived in a time much like ours. He lived during the Reformation. The Church was under attack and in turmoil; many people were leaving the faith, and Church reform was greatly needed. Along came St. Philip Neri, who God called to re-evangelize his hometown of Rome. For this, he is fittingly known as the 'Apostle to Rome.' Of course, St. Philip Neri did many good things while answering the call God had for him, but the thing that stands out for me is that he had a philosophy of always being in good humor and joyful. He understood that you could catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. In fact, he was quoted as saying, 'Cheerful people are more easily led to perfection.'
Jesus closes this Gospel reading with a short, simple two-word statement to St. Peter. This statement applies as much to us today as it did to St. Peter, St. Paul, and St. Philip Neri. It encapsulates all we need to know and all we need to do to live the Christian life, the life God called St. Peter to live out and is calling us to live out when he gives him the command: Follow Me.
Amen.
cover art from: Peter Paul Rubens - Christ's Charge to Peter