They catch fish
We’ve just heard the story of the appearance of our Lord to the seven disciples.
After all the drama of Christ’s crucifixion and death, the disciples went on their own ordinary way of living. We imagine their disappointment, frustration and feeling of abandonment after the death of Jesus, their Lord and Master. But, life must go on, they have to move on, so they went back to their old profession, fishing.
When the Lord appeared to them, they didn’t immediately recognise him. They were only able to come to know that it is the Lord after they caught a large number of fish.
The Gospel today tries to show that the Lord never abandons His disciples and His church. Maybe at first, the disciples were frustrated by the death of Christ. Maybe they already lost hope because their leader who preaches eternal life was tried and killed. Maybe they were tempted to think that what they were doing in following the Lord was totally useless. But in His appearance to His seven disciples, our Lord showed that his might and promise endures, that He never leaves His fold and that He continues to call His followers. His death was not the end of His ministry but the beginning and fulfillment of His saving ministry.
Do you love me?
After this event, Jesus had an intimate dialogue with Peter. Three times he asked Peter to answer the question “Do you love me?” And for three times, Peter confessed to the Lord his love. With this, our Lord asked him to express his love by feeding the lamb and tending the sheep. And He concluded, “Follow me!”
Meditate
Imagine. What if Jesus asked you directly the question he asked Peter in Sunday’s Gospel?
“Do you love me?” And Jesus repeated his question the second time. What does the repeated question do to you? Then, yet again, not just twice but a third time, the tender but unnerving question, before you have had time to settle your mind and heart.He asks you by name, “Do you love me?” Let it echo inside you.
Does he suspect that you really do not love him? Consider your daily attitude toward Jesus and toward God. Do not say your answer lightly.
Give your response quietly in prayer to Jesus, or out loud if you wish. Take your time. Pay attention to how it feels to say it. Maybe you will reply, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you,” as Peter did. Or do you have another answer? Something like, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I want to love you, I just want to believe in you and live a good life. You see the fear and the running away and the distraction I live by—are you going to condemn me for them? I want to love you but I don’t know how.”Jesus answers, “Feed my lambs.”Stay with it. Think about it. Pray about it.Doesn’t it mean that we who are sinful can be part of Jesus’ mission? We don’t have to be perfect? We are forgiven?
We are called and imperfect
We are all called by the Lord no matter who we are. As we can see from example of the disciples, they were not perfect or righteous persons. Look at Peter, he denied the Lord three times. But the Lord chose him still and made him the leader of the early Church.
Look at me. God has chosen me to be priest despite my weaknesses, imperfection and sinfulness.
The Lord looks at us with mercy and compassion no matter who we are. He is only asking one question, “Do you love me?”
As followers of the Lord, whether you are priest, married person or single, student, every action that we do therefore is always an answer to his question, “Do you love me?” And every “Yes” that we made, must be put into action. When we serve our family, when we work hard for our children, when we are honest in our world and responsibilities, when we are true to our friends.
Jesus, help us love our own suffering, and embrace our weaknesses boldly.
Jesus, help us love you just the way disciples did. Give us sharp eyes to look for you in every person we meet, in every place we go everywhere, always. Amen.
readings: Homily of Bishop Ramon Villena, Bishop of Bayombong; www.liturgy.slu.edu
We’ve just heard the story of the appearance of our Lord to the seven disciples.
After all the drama of Christ’s crucifixion and death, the disciples went on their own ordinary way of living. We imagine their disappointment, frustration and feeling of abandonment after the death of Jesus, their Lord and Master. But, life must go on, they have to move on, so they went back to their old profession, fishing.
When the Lord appeared to them, they didn’t immediately recognise him. They were only able to come to know that it is the Lord after they caught a large number of fish.
The Gospel today tries to show that the Lord never abandons His disciples and His church. Maybe at first, the disciples were frustrated by the death of Christ. Maybe they already lost hope because their leader who preaches eternal life was tried and killed. Maybe they were tempted to think that what they were doing in following the Lord was totally useless. But in His appearance to His seven disciples, our Lord showed that his might and promise endures, that He never leaves His fold and that He continues to call His followers. His death was not the end of His ministry but the beginning and fulfillment of His saving ministry.
Do you love me?
After this event, Jesus had an intimate dialogue with Peter. Three times he asked Peter to answer the question “Do you love me?” And for three times, Peter confessed to the Lord his love. With this, our Lord asked him to express his love by feeding the lamb and tending the sheep. And He concluded, “Follow me!”
Meditate
Imagine. What if Jesus asked you directly the question he asked Peter in Sunday’s Gospel?
“Do you love me?” And Jesus repeated his question the second time. What does the repeated question do to you? Then, yet again, not just twice but a third time, the tender but unnerving question, before you have had time to settle your mind and heart.He asks you by name, “Do you love me?” Let it echo inside you.
Does he suspect that you really do not love him? Consider your daily attitude toward Jesus and toward God. Do not say your answer lightly.
Give your response quietly in prayer to Jesus, or out loud if you wish. Take your time. Pay attention to how it feels to say it. Maybe you will reply, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you,” as Peter did. Or do you have another answer? Something like, “Lord, you know everything, you know that I want to love you, I just want to believe in you and live a good life. You see the fear and the running away and the distraction I live by—are you going to condemn me for them? I want to love you but I don’t know how.”Jesus answers, “Feed my lambs.”Stay with it. Think about it. Pray about it.Doesn’t it mean that we who are sinful can be part of Jesus’ mission? We don’t have to be perfect? We are forgiven?
We are called and imperfect
We are all called by the Lord no matter who we are. As we can see from example of the disciples, they were not perfect or righteous persons. Look at Peter, he denied the Lord three times. But the Lord chose him still and made him the leader of the early Church.
Look at me. God has chosen me to be priest despite my weaknesses, imperfection and sinfulness.
The Lord looks at us with mercy and compassion no matter who we are. He is only asking one question, “Do you love me?”
As followers of the Lord, whether you are priest, married person or single, student, every action that we do therefore is always an answer to his question, “Do you love me?” And every “Yes” that we made, must be put into action. When we serve our family, when we work hard for our children, when we are honest in our world and responsibilities, when we are true to our friends.
Jesus, help us love our own suffering, and embrace our weaknesses boldly.
Jesus, help us love you just the way disciples did. Give us sharp eyes to look for you in every person we meet, in every place we go everywhere, always. Amen.
readings: Homily of Bishop Ramon Villena, Bishop of Bayombong; www.liturgy.slu.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment