DO YOU LOVE ME?
Anyone
who has seen the Holy Father would experience a sense of awe and
wonder. Somehow there is a presence about the pope that one will never
forget. I remember seeing him in my travels and being inspired by his
person. Here is a man who truly loves Jesus. And he should. He governs,
guides and inspires millions of Catholics around the world to love and
follow Jesus.
In the Gospel today, Jesus is asking the threefold question to Peter, the first pope. The question is, “Do you love me?” Three times Jesus asks, and three
times Peter responds. Each time, Jesus charges Peter with a task that
he and every pope that follows him will take up: the care and concern of
the flock of God. The pope has the awesome responsibility of caring for, tending and feeding the sheep that ultimately belong to Jesus, not him. The threefold questioning is balm to the
threefold denial that Peter made towards Jesus at His trial leading to His death.
Do you love Jesus? It is an easy question to answer — either yes or no;
either you love Him and follow Him, or reject His presence in your life
and follow your own selfish ideas and ambitions. What a tragedy to live the latter way!
If we love Jesus, we have the obligation to follow Jesus wherever He
may lead us. For Peter, it ended in his death on a cross. The love of
Jesus is a demanding one. Yes, we want the easy way out, the one without
the cross. But what is the point of following Jesus if it does not
involve the cross?
The one who loves Jesus is attractive in the sight of others. Observe
the Holy Father. People love him, listen to and respect him because he
seeks to be a man after the Savior’s heart.
Let us seek to be lovers of Jesus — the Lover of our souls. Fr. Brian Steele, MGL
REFLECTION QUESTIONS: Do you love Jesus? How do you show Jesus that you love Him?
Lord, I love You. I pray for the grace to follow You. I pray that I might please You all the days of my life. Amen.
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