August 21 2008 :
"Do you love Me?'
There was no doubt that Peter loved Jesus but Jesus wanted Peter to proclaim this love outloud 3 times because
3 times he had denied even knowing Jesus during that night of Jesus' Crucifixion and death.
Peter had never forgiven himself and spent many a night and day weeping over the thought that he had betrayed
his best friend..he had betrayed Jesus.
Jesus forgave Peter, but Peter did not forgive himself. Today's Gospel was Jesus showing to Peter that his past
mistake was forgiven and not only that Peter was to speak in behalf of Jesus going forward.
Just as Peter denied Jesus 3 times; 3 times he now was asked to publicly confirm his love for Jesus . It
pained Peter to know that Jesus asked him 3 times of his love; but it was a curative measure Jessu took to help Peter.
Peter surely connected the 3 requests with the 3 denials and though it saddened him, answered 3 times the
same thing: "you know I love you".
After each confirmation Jesus told Peter: feed my lambs, look after my sheep, feed my sheep. Jesus was
helping Peter let go of the past so that he could take care of the present.
Peter's love was rewarded with Jesus' trust. Jesus wanted Peter to know that not only was he forgiven but that
Jesus trusted him. He was given charge over all Jesus' people: young and old alike: lambs and sheep.
So much can be gathered from today's readings. First that God does not hold our mistakes and sins forever. He
lets them go, once we have repented of them. Not only does God let go of our sins when we confess them but recalls them no
more.
Failure is apt to happen in our lives .We are going to, at times, betray our relationship with Jesus; but we
musn't let our past failures to freeze us into a state of despair.
When we have wronged Jesus or sinned against God, we must undo this wrong by saying we are sorry and showing
our love for Jesus by taking care of His little ones. Charity covers a multitude of sins.
When we have repented of our sinfulness we must in turn help others to do the same. The light we have come to
know must be carried to all God's people .
Just as by our unfaithfulness and sin we have brought darkness to others around us; so too, by our repentance
we must take God's light into the very darkness we had created by our sin and beyond.
Sin and unfaithfulness can be undone and the light we have received from God to see the wrong of our sinfulness
should be shared with others ...
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