Simon, son of John, do you love me?

At 25,13b-21; Ps 102; Jn 21,15-19
7 JUNE

No one can live the mission of Christ if he does not love Christ. Christ loved his Father until the death by the Cross. He also loved his people who were in the world. He fulfilled his mission. Without this double love, there is no mission. The mission begins from the heart of the Father who loves man of eternal love and for his salvation consecrates his Son, rather he makes him a holocaust of redemption and salvation.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God (Jn 3,16-18). Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13,1.34-35).

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (Jn 15,9-13).

And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be brought to perfection as one, that the world may know that you sent me, and that you loved them even as you loved me. Father, they are your gift to me. I wish that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory that you gave me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Righteous Father, the world also does not know you, but I know you, and they know that you sent me. I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them” (Jn 17,22-26).

Love is a total gift. The Father loves the world. He wants its salvation. For it he offers his Son. Jesus loves the world. He wants its salvation. Offers himself. But he knows that his offer is fruitless without the offering of the Apostles. He asks them to make his same offer. As He did it out of love for the Father, so they will have to do it for His love. In his love they must love the Father and the world as the Father loves it. If they are not in his love, they might not love either the father or the world, because everything must be lived in him, with him and for him. Peter must love sheep and lambs as the Father loves them. He might love them only in his love. He will love them in his love, if he will love Jesus as Jesus loved and loves Peter. Peter loves Jesus, but he still feels the weight of his denial. To Jesus is enough the will to love and grow in this love. In love one walks, in love one progresses and in love one perfects himself.

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.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to 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.”

Now Jesus reassures all the other Apostles. He invite Peter to follow him on the cross. He gets up and follows Jesus. He walks behind his Master. The other Apostles now know that Jesus is with Peter and Peter with Jesus. They can be guided by him. He is in the love of Jesus.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that the world sees that Jesus is with us and we with him.