THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
(Acts 5:27-32, 40b-41; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19)
The Church emphasizes that the new pope will not be
Francis's successor. He will be, like all the other popes in history, the
successor of Peter. In today's gospel, Jesus commissions Peter to shepherd his
flock. It is worth examining this gospel to determine the characteristics of
Peter that are expected in his new successor.
In the passage, Peter stands out in four ways. First, he
takes the initiative to go fishing. Second, he jumps into the water to be the
first to welcome the risen Jesus. Third, he confronts Jesus in a heartfelt
conversation. Finally, Peter hears some alarming words about his destiny. These
events build upon one another to give us a revealing portrait of Peter and his
successors.
Above all, the successor of Peter must have a fervent love
for Christ. Peter shows such love when he throws himself into the water to
welcome him. Later, he professes his love when Jesus asks him if he loves him.
To love Jesus is to love the truth he taught. One of the fundamental duties of
the successor of Peter is to maintain Christ's doctrine intact. There will
always be calls to change it for convenience or pride. In loving Christ, the
pope will verify new proposals as legitimate developments of his doctrine or
distortions of the truth.
The successor of Peter must also be a holy man. In the
Gospel, Peter speaks with Jesus face to face. He shares with the Lord not only
his misery for having denied Him but also his willingness to serve Him. His
successor must often speak with Christ heart to heart in prayer. He has
enormous responsibilities that require the wisdom of the Holy Spirit whom
Christ imparts.
One responsibility of the pope is to seek unity among the
different Christian communities. Jesus called Peter "the rock" upon
which he would build his church. He is a rock on which all can walk safely.
Peter must create a space that accommodates all Christians in love and truth.
To do this, the Pope must have initiative. In the gospel,
Peter demonstrates leadership by embarking on a path on which others follow. He
tells his companions, "I'm going fishing," and they accompany him.
Fishing is a metaphor for evangelizing. With Jesus' support, Peter and his
companions will attract many to the Church. Today, Peter's successor, along
with other bishops, must continue attracting people. It is not a matter of
claiming large numbers of converts but of helping more people achieve eternal
life.
At the end of the reading, Jesus tells Peter that he will
lead him where he does not want to go. He means that Peter will not die in bed
but as a martyr. To accept martyrdom, Peter must cultivate courage. He must
decide that Christ is his purpose in life, so that a violent death is not too
high a price to obtain it. In 1981, Saint John Paul II was shot by an assassin.
It could happen to any successor of Peter. However, a pope's fear is not being
targeted by a killer. Vatican experts say it is the reality of complete exhaustion
that worries so-called papabili. It's true that Pope Benedict XVI
retired. But he did so only because he realized he didn't have the energy to
handle the responsibilities. Among other qualities, the successor of Peter must
be ready to exhaust himself for Christ.
It's no exaggeration to say that the characteristics of
loving Christ, being holy, showing leadership, and possessing fortitude define
not only the successor of Peter but all Christians. Realizing that most of us
lack these attributes should cause us to pause for a moment. We need to marvel
at and pray for the new pope.
