How Do I Love You? Let Me Count The Ways

Deacon Tom Writes

“How Do I Love You? Let Me Count The Ways”

Third Sunday of Easter, Year C

It takes real courage to admit your mistakes. It takes more courage to move foreword and not be paralyzed or held back by mistakes of the past. Peter appears to have resumed his prior way of life as a fisherman after the death of Jesus, perhaps trying to forget those last days: Jesus’ brutal death, his own cowardly denying his friendship with Jesus, his inability to comprehend Jesus’ mysterious presence in the midst of his disciples. It was just too much for him to grasp!

It is understandable that Peter and the others would go back to the way of life that was most familiar to them, fishing. They could pick up where they had left off before Jesus called them and put their ambition and energy into their business. But their flight to the safety of the past is short lived as we read in today’s Gospel.

This is more than an encounter with Jesus. And it is more than a story of Peter’s reconciliation with Jesus. At it’s deepest level it is the story of Peter’s coming to terms with himself, with his own failures and shortcomings, with his own fears and doubts. In confessing his love for Jesus, Peter is able to put to rest his sins from the past and his own weaknesses, to accept them for what they are, and to move beyond them to a new and heightened mental and spiritual life that awaited him. He is able to forgive himself and embrace the work that Jesus gives him to do, “Feed my sheep”. Peter embraces this new mission from Jesus with a renewed enthusiasm fueled by the power he has received from the Holy Spirit. He is now willing and able to assume his role as first among the Apostles and leads them on their mission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…”MT 228:19.

Like Peter, many of us have had our “ups and downs” in our relationship with Jesus. We have had our share of doubts and fears and have often disappointed Jesus by our sinful behavior, by our bad choices, by “what we have done and by what we have failed to do.”   Over time these actions become like a wedge and sever our relationship with Our Lord. But today’s gospel gives us all hope that we can never be far from God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness. Jesus will always come looking for us, to nourish us physically and spiritually and to bring us his healing presence and compassion so that we can begin again, renewed and restored.

Easter is a time of God renewing the whole world. Let us embrace his love and forgiveness and be renewed ourselves so that we may be able to experiences the newness of life brought about through his suffering and death.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Photo Credit:  2.bp.blogspot.com/jesus-peter-reconciliation1.jpg