Feed my Flock

Acts 5:27-32.40-4, Rev. 5:11-14, Jn 21:1-19. On this third Sunday of Easter Year C, the Church invites us to reaffirm our faith and commitment to Jesus who reconciled us to God. The first reading describes the courage of the apostles after the warnings and threats from the Sanhedrin. Peter’s statement, "Obedience to God comes before obedience to men", has set the policy that we must follow as heroic Christians. The second reading also provides assurance of hope for those who are able to live their faith to such heroic level. In today's Gospel, Jesus reconciles His disciples after moment of denial and abandonment. When the disciples came ashore after the miraculous catch of fish they found a charcoal fire ready with fish cooking on it, the same way when Peter betrayed Jesus three times.

The threefold question Jesus asked Peter was for him to reaffirm his commitment. Jesus then tells Peter to feed His lambs (the weaker members of the community), to feed His sheep (the stronger ones) and to care for all of them. What happened to Peter can happen to us if we have the faith to accept God’s love and forgiveness. Jesus forgives us in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and loves us after we have denied Him, disbelieved, given up and sinned. It takes an act of faith to believe in God and to believe that God forgives us and loves us after we repent of our sin. Sometimes faith is the courage to accept God’s love, forgiveness and acceptance of ourselves. Peter recovered his faith after his despair; he was able to say “Yes Lord, you know that I love you.” We do not allow the past to overcome us like Judas. Instead Peter should be our model for repentance and reforming ourselves.

May the Lord help us to be more aware of the loving presence of God and respond generously to His call to share His life with us! Am