Sunday Meditation: Feed My Sheep

The Third Sunday of Easter gives us a very long passage of the resurrected Jesus, the apostles as fisherman, and Jesus redeeming Simon Peter.  What to keep in mind is that there are four parts to this Gospel passage: (1) The disciples decide to fish at night, (2) Jesus has them to go back out in the morning while he fixes breakfast on shore, (3) Jesus takes Peter aside and three times asks if Peter loves Him, and (4) Jesus foretells of Peter’s future and death.

 

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias.

He revealed himself in this way.

Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus,

Nathanael from Cana in Galilee,

Zebedee's sons, and two others of his disciples.

Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."

They said to him, "We also will come with you."

So they went out and got into the boat,

but that night they caught nothing.

When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore;

but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.

Jesus said to them, "Children, have you caught anything to eat?"

They answered him, "No."

So he said to them, "Cast the net over the right side of the boat

and you will find something."

So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in

because of the number of fish.

So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord."

When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord,

he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad,

and jumped into the sea.

The other disciples came in the boat,

for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards,

dragging the net with the fish.

When they climbed out on shore,

they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread.

Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish you just caught."

So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore

full of one hundred fifty-three large fish.

Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus said to them, "Come, have breakfast."

And none of the disciples dared to ask him, "Who are you?"

because they realized it was the Lord.

Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them,

and in like manner the fish.

This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples

after being raised from the dead.

 

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,

"Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"

Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Feed my lambs."

He then said to Simon Peter a second time,

"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

Simon Peter answered him, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."

Jesus said to him, "Tend my sheep."

Jesus said to him the third time,

"Simon, son of John, do you love me?"

Peter was distressed that Jesus 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."

~Jn 21:1-19

 

Once again Bishop Robert Barron gives a probing homily walking us through the context and the steps of the passage.

All the reservations and backsliding that Peter had over Christ’s lifetime is here redeemed with the three questions of “Do you love me?”  With his three responses, Peter is redeemed.  But if Peter represents all us sinners, then we too are redeemed as we put ourselves into Peter’s shoes.  So we too need to respond, “Lord I love you,” and go where we do not want to go.

I have not highlighted Fr. Joe Trout O.P., a Dominican Preacher from St. Albert the Great Province, which is the province in the Midwest of the U.S., before, but I present him here where he opens up some different insights to this passage. 

 

No I did not select his homily because his last name ironically coincides with the fish.  ;)  His central message: We love God, and He loves us, and what do we do with that love?  We care for His sheep.

 

Sunday Meditation: “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."

 

For the hymn, let’s return to John Michael Talbot and listen to his beautiful, “Peter’s Canticle.”

 

Sometimes it’s hard to find the lyrics to John Michael’s songs, but I found them for this one.

 

Peter’s Canticle

 

Jesus

Has suffered for you

To comfort your life

Within his dying

Dying

So that all men might live

Bearing mankind's wounds

So that man might be healed

 

Let all who seek

The true path to peace

Simply come to follow

In the footsteps of this man

Who laid down his life

When threatened with hatred

And so he came to live

In the blessings of love

And so he came to live

Forever