Can you recall a painful moment in your life, perhaps a night spent in the emergency room due to an accident that injured a friend, or watching your home burn, or being there to watch a loved one pass away? What about that moment, perhaps unexpected when a verbal confrontation ended a friendship? When your world is turned upside down, it seems as though your life is being ripped apart, doesn’t it?
I imagine that is how Peter and his six companions felt. Having just lost Jesus in the trauma of the crucifixion, and witnessed his return in the incredible miracle of the resurrection, they knew life would not be the same for them ever again. Still, Peter opted to do what had been the normal thing for him to do. He went fishing and the others agreed to go with him.
After a long night of catching nothing, someone whom they did not recognized standing on the shore asked, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” When they told him, “No,” he told them to drop their nets on the right side of the boat and so they did, catching so many fish that they could hardly pull the net in. Just then, the beloved disciple recognized who the stranger was.
In the early light of a new day, the risen Lord greeted the apostles with the familiar smell of freshly grilled fish and bread. How ordinary yet how extraordinary! The last time they had dined together was in the upper room just before they ventured to the garden where Jesus was betrayed. The last time that Peter had stood by a fire, he had denied Jesus three times.
Now he finds himself being quizzed by Jesus. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Peter replied, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again, Peter was asked the question, and again he gave the same response. This time, Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” Once more, Peter is grilled. “”Simon, son of John, do you love me?” in exasperation, Peter replies, “Lord, you know everything! You know that I love you.” This time, Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
Why three times instead of once? Perhaps, Jesus did this to give Peter a chance to recant each of his three denials. I think of this scene as the gospel of the second chance. Those who had been in the boat had deserted Jesus in the darkest hour of his life. When he needed them, they had abandoned him. Worse yet, their leader, Peter, had denied him three times in public.
Jesus could have asked, “Why did you do that?” That is the kind of question any upset parent or spouse or friend would typically ask. Instead of dwelling on the past, he simply asked, “Do you love me?” That is all he wanted to know. Let bygones be bygones. Let hurts be forgotten. Let mistakes be put aside. Let betrayals be dismissed. All that mattered to Jesus on the beach that morning, right here and now, was simply, “Do you love me?”
Jesus wasn’t speaking only to Peter. He is speaking to us as well, many Easters later. Right now, can you sense him asking you the very same question? Never mind the past. Never mind the many times you have betrayed him or let him down. That is, as the saying goes, water over the dam. What matters to him, here and now, is simply, “Do you love me?” If your response is the same as what Peter said, then picture Jesus saying to you, “feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep!”
Today’s gospel is a beautiful story of forgiveness. Three times, Jesus asked Peter the same question. He wasn’t taunting Peter. Rather, he was inviting Peter to move beyond his past and take on the challenge of apostleship. He transforms Peter’s regrets and shame into understanding and conviction of the gospel.
It is easy to respond as Peter did and say, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” But then, how do we respond? Are we clinging to our past failures or the failures of others? Have we refused to forgive those who have hurt us in the past? Have we belittled our self worth because of something we did ages ago that continues to haunt us? We would not be today if Peter had allowed his denial of Jesus shame him from proclaiming the good news.
How then do we respond to Jesus’ command? Feed my sheep, he said, but who are his sheep? They are the marginalized, the hungry, the homeless, those who don’t fit in. His lambs are children in need. Repeatedly, our Church calls on us to do what we can to uphold the dignity of every human person. That is what social justice is about, striving to safeguard the well being of all God’s children. Jesus is calling on each one of us to be involved, using our gifts and talents to tend his sheep.
We heed his call by sharing what God has given us, our resources and talents, with the rest of his flock. One way of sharing is through the Annual Catholic Appeal, which enables pastoral care ministers to visit the imprisoned and the sick, sustains the ninth largest school system in our state that serves over 23,000 students, prepares those seeking to serve our Church tomorrow, as well providing care for our retired priests. Altogether, this crucial appeal supports 63 important programs throughout Western Washington. Our goal this year has been set at $42,554. Help us to build a future full of hope with your gift.
In light of the difficult economic situation, I know that not all of our parishioners will be able to support the appeal financially this year. If you are able to participate and not giving at this level already, would you consider a gift of $1 a day to make up for those who cannot give much this year? Know that every gift, no matter the amount, can and will make a difference. You have made it possible for us to surpass our goal every year and I trust that we will do so again; for this is one way we can say to the Lord, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”