Gospel: John 21:15-19
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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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 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 ourselves for the sake of our love for Jesus. For the reason that humility and sacrifice are 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.
How do you love? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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