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

At 5,27-32.40-41; Ps 29; Rev 5,11-14; Jn 21,1-19
5 MAY

Jesus is perennially guided by the eternal wisdom of the Holy Spirit. He knows that his Church needs a strong point of unity. He knows the dynamics of human temptation and frailty. He knows that the communion and the union of the spirits can exist only if built on a single foundation and a single stone. He is invisible foundation and stone. Also a visible foundation and stone recognized by all is needed. After Peter has denied the Lord, can this visible stone and foundation still remain? It is here that all the wisdom of Jesus is revealed. At the Sea of ​​Galilee, in the presence of the other disciples, Jesus expressly asks Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon does not dare to say that he loves him and not even more than the others. He simply answers: “You know that I love you”. Jesus’ response is an immortal command: “Feed my lambs”. At the second and third questions and answers, Jesus entrusts his sheep to him: “Feed my sheep”. Now his Church can exist through the centuries. She has her point of unity and union.

After this, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. 

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.”

The command of Jesus to Peter must be read not only in the direction from top to bottom, from Peter to the lambs and the sheep. But also in the bottom-up direction. As Jesus says to Peter: “Feed my lambs. Feed my sheep “. So he says to lambs and sheep: “Let yourself be grazed by Peter”. The obedience to Christ is of Peter concerning sheep and lambs. But it is also the obedience of sheep and lambs to Peter. This means that tomorrow Peter could also forget about this command of the Lord, because having fallen into temptation, he thinks more to himself than to the sheep and lambs of Jesus. But Peter’s disobedience does not authorize sheep and lamb to separate themselves from Jesus’ command. The command is of Jesus. It is not of Peter to sheep lambs and not even of lambs and sheep to Peter. We are all called to remain in the will of Christ the Lord. It is the duty of those who disobeyed to recompose their disobedience.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints help everyone so that every disobedience is recomposed.