May 29

Today’s Readings: ACTS 25:13-21 PS 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20 JN 21:15-19

“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.”
He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
He said to him the third time,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was distressed that he 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.”

In this passage (taken from today’s Gospel), is a threefold confession. It mirrors and corrects Peter’s three denials before the crucifixion. It restores Peter.

But it does more than that.

It restores Peter to his appointed position as the first pope.

As apologist Steven O’Reilly has said, “In John’s gospel Jesus—addressing himself specifically to Peter—charges Peter to “feed my lambs,” “tend my sheep,” and “feed my sheep.” “Tending” and “feeding” are metaphors for governing and teaching, a clear indication that Christ intended Peter to govern and teach his “sheep,” i.e., the whole Church. Peter, and through him his successors, the bishops of Rome, are granted a universal primacy over the Church.”

David is the Director of Faith Formation at Our Lady of Joy. If you have comments or questions, send your emails to dlins@oloj.org.

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