Simon, son of John, do you love me?

FRIDAY 29 MAY (Jn 21,15-19)

Whoever wants to feed the flock of Christ first he must be the one to feed himself of Christ. Christ feeds himself on the Father and the Holy Spirit, he feeds the disciples of the Father and the Holy Spirit. To the extent that Simon Peter will feed himself on Christ, and in him he will feed himself on the Father and the Spirit of the Lord, he might feed the sheep and lambs of Christ Jesus, and in Christ, for Christ and with Christ he might feed them on the Father and the Holy Spirit. The more he grows in the love and truth of Christ, the more the Lord’s flock will grow in Christ. If he doesn’t grow, the flock won’t grow either. If he detaches himself from Christ, the flock will also detach itself. His faith in Christ and his love are the measure of the faith and love of all the flock entrusted to him. Never must the flock be led by the partiality of truth and by a love that does not conform to the purity that is in the heart of the Father. If this were to happen, it would be the loss of all the Lord’s flock. Since the body of Christ lives in the communion of charismas and ministries, Simon Peter too must let himself be helped directly by Christ Jesus and indirectly by the Holy Spirit through his brothers in faith. Direct help and indirect help are needed.

Here is a direct help example: “While Peter was still speaking these things, the holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the word. The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, for they could hear them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter responded, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people, who have received the holy Spirit even as we have?” He ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for a few days” (Cf. At 10,1-48). Now, the whole Church knows that the acceptance of pagans in the Church is by the will of the Holy Spirit.

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.”

Here is a Holy Spirit direct example help: “And when Kephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. And the rest of the Jews (also) acted hypocritically along with him, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Kephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” ” (Gal 2,11-14). In the body of Christ, it is the law of the Holy Spirit that each one serves his brothers by letting himself be served by his brothers. Jesus also serves his disciples by letting himself be served in many things by them. He lets himself be served in material things, never in those of the Holy Spirit, because they still lack them. In his body instead, since all have been filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of some must be placed at the service of the Spirit of others. If Peter wants to serve, he must let himself be served. He must let himself be served by the Holy Spirit both directly and indirectly. If the Church is the home and school of communion in the Holy Spirit, everyone must let himself be served by the Spirit of the Lord, in order to be able to serve his brothers according to truth and charity. In the Letter to the Galatians it is well highlighted how Paul lets himself be served by Peter and how Peter lets himself be served by Paul. The way of true and holy service.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, make us be humble in serving by letting ourselves be served.