"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." (Jn 21:17)
READING OF THE DAY
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 25:13b-21
King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea
on a visit to Festus.
Since they spent several days there,
Festus referred Paul's case to the king, saying,
"There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
I answered them that it was not Roman practice
to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers
and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
So when they came together here, I made no delay;
the next day I took my seat on the tribunal
and ordered the man to be brought in.
His accusers stood around him,
but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion
and about a certain Jesus who had died
but who Paul claimed was alive.
Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy,
I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem
and there stand trial on these charges.
And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody
for the Emperor's decision,
I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar."
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 21:15-19
After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"
Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,
"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
Simon Peter answered 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."
FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER - Jn 21:15-19
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
The Word of God today recounts the event of the resurrected Christ appearing to the apostles. During this appearance, Jesus asked Peter three times: 'Do you love me?'He asked three times to test Peter's faith in God. And Saint Peter's response to Jesus was: 'Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.' After Saint Peter answered three times to confess and declare his faith in God, Saint Peter was given the privilege by God to continue the mission of Jesus Christ - to care for the flock of God.
God appointed Saint Peter as the head and representative of God to care for and preserve the Church He established. And until now, the Church has always been holy, pure, and always connected to Jesus Christ as its head. There is only one Church, one God, one Jesus Christ. God always desires all the sheep to be gathered into one place, which is His Church. But living in this world, people cannot avoid the temptations and traps of Satan, which are gradually dividing His Church. However, that division does not take away the beautiful image of the Church, the mystical body of Jesus Christ.
God also said that in the event of the resurrection of Jesus, He chose to call and give the apostle Peter the mission of being God's representative in this world, showing that:
- God chooses people. He does not aim at people with high power, position, or deep learning, but He targets a person who always knows how to love God above all things and love our neighbor as ourselves, for this is what pleases God.
- When He lovingly chooses and calls the apostles, He will always accompany and be with them. Those who have been chosen by God and called to follow His path in the past or in the future will always be protected and accompanied by Him, whenever and wherever they are. Therefore, He invites everyone to follow the path of Jesus Christ in peace, which is the path of carrying the cross to Calvary, to die with Him, and to be resurrected with Him.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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