The conversation between Christ and Simon Peter in today’s gospel is one of the most poignant in the whole of the Bible. Peter has denied Jesus three times on Holy Thursday night - through cowardice, weakness, sheer terror- and now the risen Christ asks him three times, ‘Do you love me?’
Do we love Christ? And what precisely does this mean? To say that we love someone is pretty strong stuff (whatever the kind of love it is). It means that the other person is very important to us (and in marriage, exclusively important to us) – we pledge our loyalty, our affection, to those we love. So, Jesus asks Peter, ‘Do you love me ?’ In the light of Peter’s past performance it was a reasonable question. But Jesus had to be certain, because he wanted Peter to ‘feed my lambs’, i.e. lead the church.
But what about us? If we are honest (are we?) we must admit that we, like Peter, deny Jesus many times each day, by our thoughts, words and actions - just think about it - (we used to call it ‘examination of conscience’ in the good old days). We really do want to follow Jesus, but somehow we seem trapped and get it wrong Oh so often. Is there no way out?
Well, actually, yes. Not a way but a person - the very same person who interviewed Peter on that beach, with the simple (but life-changing) question, ‘Do you love me?’
‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you’ answers Peter.’ And that is all (!) it took for Peter to become the first Pope.
Do we make the same reply? Do we really love the Lord? Do we show this by our faithful attendance at Mass Sunday or do we so often makes lame excuses? Do we ever pray? How? Are we really engaged in the practice of our Catholic Faith (including being brave enough to express doubts). Do we ever go to confession and tell the Lord that we love him?
Do we love Christ, or merely tolerate him, giving him the occasional nod at Easter and Christmas, and sometimes first communion and confirmation? Is our faith simply a matter of thoughtless conformity or are we prepared to mature and grow, to take responsibility in the Christian community, to ‘feed the sheep’ by building up our parish community in faith, hope and love?
‘Do you love me?’ Jesus says to each one of us. What’s your reply?
‘Simon Peter’ by Lisa Debney.
What else to do but fish? To put out once again into the deep.
Attempting to relive the moment we first met when life became abundant with potential.
Busyness is all. It takes away the aches of scenes replayed each night in restless sleep.
We work, caught up in our own thoughts, but sullen swell of sea still drags me down.
I cannot walk on water, fish for men; however hard I trawl, I harvest nothing.
Morning sends uncertain light; instinctively I wait to hear the crow of dawn announcing failure.
But this day brings the quiet rush of pebbles on the shore, caught up in patterns more immense than they.
And suddenly it starts again, the second chance, replayed from the beginning.....all life around me teems with possibilities once more.
The sun breaks through the mist; I hurl myself into the sea not caring if I sink or swim- to reach you is my only aim.
You stand there, on the edge of life, calling out against the empty fears of night; I run to you, we sit around the flames, we eat and talk.
Three times you ask, and three times I respond; there is new strength in each reply.
I feel you woven through my life, know that even on strange shores you will be there.
I gather nets into my hands, they will not break.
Tomorrow I will fish again.