Friday of the
Seventh Week of Easter
(Acts 25:13b-21; John 21:15-19)
A Marianist brother, like many people, loved to
fish. He used to say that a fisherman takes
his watch off, puts his line in the water, and never worries about time. The brother only confirmed other slogans about
fishing such as, “A bad day fishing is better than a good day at the office.” Understanding how much fisherman love their
occupation helps us appreciate today’s gospel.
Jesus wants Peter to commit himself first and foremost to
him. He asks his disciple, “Do you love
me more than these?” The question is not
meant to show that Peter loves Jesus more than the other disciples love him. How could Peter claim that after denying
Jesus publicly three times? No, the
question seeks to ascertain if Peter will work for Jesus or will return to
fishing. The pronoun “these” refers to
the accoutrements of fishing – boat, nets, and lines. When Peter answers Jesus unequivocally, “’Yes…,’”
Jesus assigns him the task of leadership of the Church.
We should consider ourselves queried in the same way as
Peter. Do we love the Lord more than our
own occupations or other interests? Jesus does not necessarily mean that we
forego other pursuits. However, he does
want us to make him the first priority of our lives. We are to love him more than our work, even
more than our children and our very selves.
It is a tall order to commit to, and it may take a lifetime before we
can comfortably respond, “Yes.” But assent
is required if we are to have the eternal life Jesus promises.
