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April 25, 2022In today’s Gospel, however, Jesus is in good voice when he asks Peter three times if he really loves him. Remember that before the crucifixion Peter had not exactly distinguished himself. Three times he denied being a disciple of Jesus and knowing anything about him. The man Jesus chooses to exercise primacy of authority is the one who is caught out by a servant girl as he lies insistently. He is the man who is arrested by a cock crowing in the dark.
As we hear from the epilogue of John’s Gospel, after the crucifixion Peter and the disciples returned to their old trade of fishing. There is no suggestion that they believed themselves to have a mission to carry on after the death of Jesus. After Jesus had died, their hopes went into the tomb, and they returned to old, familiar ways. They tried to cope with the loss of the one who had changed their lives.
After a long night’s fishing the disciples come up with zero, and a distant figure on the shore tells them to try again. They pull in a marvelous haul. The beloved disciple identifies the figure as Jesus, and Peter in his excitement tries treading water to be with him. Peter has a wet breakfast with the Lord.
After the meal Jesus asks Peter three times about the reality of his love. Insisting on love is something of a mark with Jesus. Three times Peter affirms his love, as three times Jesus insists on it. And when Peter professes his love Jesus commissions him to care for his flock. Seeing the Lord is always a dismissal for ministry; loving the Love is always a charge to care for others. And that is what Peter does as we heard from today’s first reading. In his ministry of preaching and healing Peter gets through too many people, and the authorities become nervous at the ability of Peter and the apostles to work in the name of Jesus. In spite of the opposition Peter will continue insisting on his love for Jesus and this insistence will take him to martyrdom in Rome. In the end Jesus’ question ‘’Simon, do you love me?’’ becomes profoundly unnecessary. There is nothing circumstantial about Peter’s love.
So, “the question of Jesus” is openly directed to each of us: ‘’Do you love me?’’ But before Jesus puts the question to us he goes to enormous trouble to first assure us that he really loves us. He died making the point. When we’re assured of that first love we might be less hesitant in declaring our own.
“The question of Jesus” stays with us, hoping for an answer. The question comes from one who is more interested in our future prospects than our past failures. He doesn’t pass the time in bitter recriminations. He’s more interested in what can become of us. That kind of person is worth letting through our defenses and locked doors. He’s not a security risk. After all, his valentine has already been slipped under the door.
That way, the Gospel never dies.