How to be or become a follower of Jesus Christ in the world and in your situation«Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?»
Let's recall the episode of the capture of Jesus: When the temple soldiers took Jesus to Caiaphas, almost all the apostles had fled, but two of them; one was Peter. He entered the courtyard and sat down in front of the fire to warm himself. A servant then said: “I know you! You were with Jesus! "
Peter said, “That's not true! I don't know what you're talking about!" Then he went to the door, but another servant saw him and said to those who were there: "This man was with Jesus!" Peter replied: "I don't know Jesus!" A man said, “You are one of them! From your accent we understand that you come from Galilee, just like Him ”. But Peter swore: "I don't know him!"
At that moment a rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked at him. Under Jesus glance, Peter remembered what Jesus had told him, then he went out and cried in shame.
Jesus asks Peter three times: Do you love me, Simon of John?
As Peter denied him three times, so Jesus three times asks him if the leader of the apostles loves him. He does not ask him to show particular wisdom, strength or ability but only his love for him, just as he asks each of us who believe in Him. Jesus said to Thomas:
«Because you saw me, you believed; blessed are those who have not seen and will believe!».
Of course we are not Peter, the Vicar of Christ on Earth, but like other apostles we are perhaps such as those who fled while he was arrested.
So let us ask ourselves if, like those other apostles, we have fled giving in to fear or despair in front of our daily crosses, and have succumbed to sin; or if like Peter it has sometimes happened to us to deny him, perhaps hiding out of human respect that we are Christians.
I believe that we have fled even when sometimes we can forget about him and live as if we were not in his presence, we forget as if He did not exist.
I think this is our problem - or speaking better, I've to confess this is my problem: not always I remember that he's watching me in every moment of my life and perhaps I'm not always conscious of that.
To avoid such problems, to avoid losing sight of Jesus as less as possible, because I am a man and a sinner, apart from my prayers and possibly daily Mass, I've to organize myself to keep His presence alive.
I have written often about that in some comments, aiming to suggest it to myself, but here I want to repeat one: in every part of my home I must have something that sweetly and discreetly reminds me my Faith.
An image, a figurine, a small crucifix, or even a large one, an image of his Mother. When I was young and in the office and worked there, on the desk along with photos of boys and wife, I kept a picture. A saint, for example today I' retired and old but still I've a beautiful photo of St. Kalrol Voitila, an image of Holy Mary of Fatima, and a gospel in the drawer.
If you pass by at home and walking in the streets and see one, get used to saying a love phrase. An example: when I croaa the sight on the Holy Virgin Mary:
«My immaculate mother, how beautiful you are and how much i love you ! Please intercede for me!»
Fine del comneto
HISTORICAL QUIZ: Do you know why the month in which the Catholic Church reads this passage from John's Gospel is called June?
- think, why the following is named July?
- Why the next one August?
- and why the name of December of the last month of the year?
Bewt it's not so easy to find out, I know it because my ancient classical High School studies about our three-millenary latin culture.
No fear! the Mercy of Jesus
is INFINITE
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 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?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
He then said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to 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."
