John 21:15-19
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus 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.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A
second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to
him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt
hurt because he said to him the 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. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger,
you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you
grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt
around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said
this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this
he said to him, “Follow me.”
Jesus says, to me and to you, Do you love me?
I'm not sure if I have ever thought about this passage in terms of Jesus directing that question to me. I grew up with the little song Jesus loves me this I know... I have heard sermons, read meditations (and written a few) about how Jesus loves us so much that he ... but how much do I/We love Jesus? I've fed his "sheep" through volunteer work and employment. I've contributed money to charitable organizations, donated clothing and household goods, I go to Church and participate in a variety of ministries, I repeat all the necessary syllables of familiar prayers regularly. Yet what are my conscious thoughts relating to all of these? Have I said silently or out loud: Jesus, I love you?
Living, Loving, Lord,
Too many times, even most of the times, ok ALL the times I pray to You I'm asking for You to give me, do for me, do for them, help me with..., today I've heard you ask Peter if he loves you. Like me, more often than I want to admit to me, I take it for granted, as Peter, of course I love You; You know that. And just like being in a human-to-human relationship when I just want to hear the words, it dawns on me at last, I must say the words without the tag line after of gimme, gimme, gimme.
Jesus, I.Love.You. amen
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