Do You Really Love Me?

(May 1, 2016)


When they had eaten their meal, Jesus said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
‘Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
At which Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
A second time he put this question, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, you know that I love you.”
Jesus replied, ”Tend my sheep.”
A third time Jesus asked him, “Simon, son of John, “Do you love me?”
So he said to him, “Lord you know everything. You know well that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

John 21: 15


It is our mission, our challenge; it’s what we do every day as Vincentians. We feed His lambs; we tend his sheep.

As I re-read this passage for the umpteenth time today, with Carey Landry’s little song from the days of my children’s grade school repertoire repeating over and over in my mind, I was struck by the seriousness of Jesus’s question for Peter and for me. Maybe it was the kids’ song, but something new came to me.

When I was a child, when my kids were young too, we could judge the seriousness of any matter by the way a parent addressed the son or daughter. Only when it was of great importance, good or bad, did the parent use the child’s full name. If my mother called me ‘Denise Lorrayne’ I had better listen and I had better not forget what she had to say!  I gather that was a common experience.

The message that I received from reading this passage from John’s gospel was that Jesus addressed Simon Peter with his full, formal name, “Simon, son of John.” It wasn’t just Simon, and not once. Jesus used the full salutation, each time he asked the question and repeated the direction to care for his people.

I have heard many people speak of the importance of the question being asked three times, but not really of the importance of the way Peter was addressed. Today that is what impressed me. I think Jesus is telling me how important my personal Vincentian calling is and how seriously I need to respond to his direction: Feed my lambs. Care for my beloved ones.

Alleluia!
Denise


Submitted by
Denise Bondy, Chair
ONRC Spirituality Committee

Spirituality Corner

Monthly Reflections
by Deacon John Girolami,
Spiritual Advisor, ONRC