Gospel: John
21:15-19
After
Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he
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." 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. 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."
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Reflection:
Do you know
that true love always requires humility and sacrifice?
There’s
always humility attached to the word love. We can’t love without sacrifice; we
can’t love without emptying ourselves for the sake of the person that we love.
The word love is not a lip service word it is always coupled with humble
positive action for those whom we love.
In the
gospel Jesus asked Simon Peter three times: “Do you love me?” and whenever
Simon Peter replies in the affirmative Jesus always gives him a responsibility
(Feed my lambs, Tend my sheep and Feed my sheep) which he must do to
substantiate his love.
This is
also what Jesus wants us to do if we profess to love Him: We have to be His
humble followers. We have to be ready to sacrifice a part of ourselves for the
sake of our love for Jesus.
For the
reason that humility and sacrifice is the essence of true love. Love without
sacrifice and humility is not true love, it’s rather a selfish kind of love based
on love for oneself. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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