GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John 21:15-19

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,

he said to Simon Peter,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”

He then said to Simon Peter a second time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”

He said to him the third time,

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was distressed that he had said to him a 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.

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,

you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;

but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,

and someone else will dress you

and lead you where you do not want to go.”

He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.

And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

The word of the Lord

 

Three Times 

It may seem surprising that Jesus insists on asking Peter three times in a row whether he loves Him, whether he cares for Him. But we remember that Peter himself denied Him three times on the night of the Passion; Christ now gives him the opportunity to affirm his love, once for each denial.

And the Lord is always lovingly ready to draw near to us so that we may ask for forgiveness in the sacrament of penance and become like little lambs in the arms of our Good Shepherd. Let us not desire to be anything else; there is nothing better than allowing ourselves to be guided by Him, who is Love.

Applied to married life

Peter: The children still haven’t tidied their room… I honestly don’t know what else to say to them. They completely ignore me; I’m sure that if you go in now, they’ll obey you straightaway. They’re always waiting for your confirmation before they pay any attention to me, and when you’re not around there’s no way of getting them to do anything I ask. Truth be told, I’m getting rather tired of it — it’s always the same.

Magda: Always the same, always the same… you’re the one who’s always the same with this constant moaning. I’m the one who’s tired of having the same conversation over and over again.

Peter: Always the same, the same conversation… forgive me, Magda. I let myself get carried away by old feelings I thought I’d overcome. I didn’t sleep well last night and I’ve slipped back into it again.

Magda: No, forgive me, Peter. I jumped straight in without thinking… truth is, I didn’t sleep well either. That programme we were watching made me quite anxious and it took me ages to fall asleep.

Peter: Same here. Thank God we’re starting to recognise these bursts of temper and cut them off as soon as they appear. I remember that before our conversion, we’d end up in an argument that could leave us not speaking to each other for days.

Magda: Absolutely… I shudder just thinking about it. If you agree, we could change the time of our conjugal prayer and do it before going to bed. That way we can spend more time on it, and we’ll go to sleep with the peace that comes from being with the Lord.

Peter: I think that’s a brilliant idea. Less telly and more prayer — sounds like a great plan. Thank you, my love, for pulling me back onto the right path.

 

Mother

We want to be those little lambs who walk beside Jesus; at times He takes us by the hand and we walk together, and at other times He has to carry us in His arms. Do not allow us to stray from Him. Blessed and praised be He for ever in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!