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 finally 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 know but 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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