5/1 - 3rd Sunday of Easter 2022

The Love Challenge!
On the beach, there is a charcoal fire burning and two men are huddled near it. One turns to the other and asks, “Simon, do you love me”? The question is loaded with many contours of meaning. This is not just an inquiry or casual playful quip. Some time back, Jesus of Nazareth had changed Simon’s name to Peter when he made him the ‘rock’ on which he was building his Church. A few days back, around another charcoal fire, Simon swore to the bystanders that he did not know the man from Nazareth. So, this question cuts deep into the marrow of fidelity.  If you were in Peter’s shoes at this very moment of your life, how would you feel? Troubled because you were unfaithful or joyous because your life overflows with deeds of love for the Master. When Peter affirms his love in definitive terms, the Master binds him to service. The love must be lived out in service, even to the point of going where we normally would not go.        
 Peter's threefold affirmation of the Lord wasn't just to renounce his three denials of the Lord. He was asked to live his faith by feeding the Lord's flock. Jesus does not call us to affirm His Presence in our lives for ourselves. He calls us to give witness to His Presence for others. This is difficult at times. We choose to serve Christ by avoiding evil and by sacrificing ourselves for others. Both give witness to the Life within us that is more important than physical life. Being a Christian means proclaiming Christ with our lives. Maybe that means talking with a hurting friend when you would rather be doing something else. Maybe that means going to a wake or a funeral when you would rather be doing anything else. Perhaps that means training a young man or woman who someday will take your job. Maybe that means helping a person who needs the help, but is rather obnoxious.
 If we really do love the Lord, we are going to feed His sheep. When we recite the creed, we proclaim that we are members of one, holy, Catholic, and apostolic church. We are called to be apostles. Yes, it would be wonderful if we could be ideal apostles like John, but we are real people like Peter. And like Peter, despite our limitations, we can feed the Lord's sheep.              
There is in all of us ‘Peter-likeness.’ He is beloved by all of us because he is like us. He has all the failures that we are so familiar with in our own lives.  He overestimates himself and underestimates temptation.  He thinks he is more committed than he is.  He thinks he loves the Lord more than he does.  He thinks he can face any trial triumphantly; and finds out he can’t. By the time we get to this point, even though he has seen the risen Christ, he is really a broken man.   How gentle Jesus is with Peter.  No rebuke! No scorn! Our failures do not deter Him.  We are allowed to be imperfect.  The disciples catch no fish, so Jesus helps them. 
Peter has failed to be faithful, and Jesus reaches out to him with compassion and understanding, demonstrating his readiness to forgive and begin again.  So, it is with us. When we are afraid, he comes to us.  When we are ashamed, he assures us.  When we see so plainly the ways we have turned away from him or preferred something else to him; when we are burdened by our sense of shame and guilt; he loves us still.  He comes to us, welcomes us, restores us, encourages us.  And invites us to follow him again. “Do you love me more than these?” The invitation of love breaks the circle of self-absorption and pride, and all the vanities that proceed from them.  It calls us out of ourselves, beyond ourselves, into the neighborhood and into the world.  It leads to the service of others – always!  It leads us to care, and to act!
Fr Tom Kunnel, C.O