In today’s Gospel, Jesus forgives Peter for denying him three times by asking him three times if Peter loves him. Again, Peter does not quite grasp the teaching, for after the third request of “Do you love me?” Peter is distressed, and with an impatient tone said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you” (Jn 21:17).
Jesus’ forgiveness of Peter is not just about the repentance of Peter’s denial but the true nature of discipleship. To be disciples of Jesus is to love one another as Jesus loves us. Peter is called to repentance not just for himself but to grow in his love of others, to serve others. After each affirmation of love by Peter Jesus responds with: “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.”
Love is well defined by St Thomas Aquinas as willing the good of the other as other. This is expressed vividly in Jesus’ imagery to Peter. If we say we love Jesus like Peter did, we will feed and tend the lambs and sheep of his flock. We will forgive, take care of, nourish, empower, support, guide and accompany one another. This means we will also love those who hate us, those who seek to persecute us, and love our enemies as ourselves.
Jesus loves us and invites us to share and give away this love, person to person, expecting nothing in return. We do not love to get, but love to freely give without cost. The expression of our love will be different for each of us because Jesus commissions each of us to serve his lambs and sheep in different ways.
Ultimately, what Jesus sends us to do is to enter into and build relationships. To do so, it is important that we deepen our relationship with Jesus first. We cannot give what we don’t have. For the love of Jesus to flow through us, we must breathe, receive, rest and abide in his love daily and often each day. From abiding in God’s peace and love, we will be less reactive, more patient and understanding. We will be able to will to good of the person as they are and where they are, just as Jesus has done with us.
Jesus does not define us by our worst mistakes, Jesus loves us more than we can ever mess up, and Jesus loves us more than we can ever imagine and his grace is more powerful than our sins. He leads with love and mercy. Now, he also doesn’t want us to stay in our sins. He loves us there so that we might feel safe, begin to trust, and choose to allow Jesus to lead us out of our darkness and into the light of his love.
Are we ready to go into this week, day by day, encounter by encounter, online and in person, willing to do the same? Willing to feed Jesus’ lambs, willing to tend his sheep, and willing to feed his sheep? To do so as Pope Francis said, we must be willing to smell like the sheep. Which means we need to spend time with God and one another, to receive and share the love the Father and the Son share, who is the Holy Spirit.
Painting: Closeup of “Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler” by Heinrich Hofmann
Spiritual Stepping Stones 