Homily: Third Sunday of Easter (C)

Do you love ‘me’?

Today is another time that Jesus appears to his followers again after the resurrection.  The disciples had been with Jesus for several years which had been full of excitement and joy until the crucifixion; then they returned to their former occupation.  Maybe disappointed, discouraged or even frustrated, Peter and the other six apostles got into their boat to go fishing.  They caught nothing until Jesus appeared at daybreak and told them to cast their net once again.  They caught a great number of fish.  This event is a nice gentle background where fishing, cooking and having a meal together is set around Jesus and his disciples.  If this is what happened, I do not think we have much to reflect on this Sunday. 

But, I do believe that the main focus of this Sunday’s Gospel is about the face to face encounter of Jesus and Peter; after the incidents where Peter denied Jesus publicly three times.  We might have wondered when will Jesus confront Peter about his ‘poor’ behaviour?  And, it is in today’s Gospel that this confrontation begins with an unexpected question being asked three times, ‘Peter, do you love me?’  It was three times that Peter denied the Risen Lord and it was three times that the Risen Lord gave him the chance to reaffirm his love and his faith. 

Peter has betrayed Jesus, forsaking his friend in his time of need.  As Jesus questions Peter, Jesus uncovers the most important question – do you love me?  They could have spoken about many other things.  They could have debated the betrayal and the hurt.  They could have talked in detail about the consequences of his actions, but the most important question is brought to the surface – do you love me?  Jesus wanted to know after seeing all of the suffering and his dying on the Cross, ‘do you still want to follow me, Peter?’

Peter has a more realistic experience of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  It may have been easier in the past to say he was a disciple, when he believed that Jesus would be victorious and her, Peter, would be able to be in charge. 

This is a reality check, not only for Peter, but for all of us.  Peter is very much a person who listened to that question from Jesus face to face.  We are echoed that question in today’s liturgy.  Peter saw all the terrible things that happened to Jesus and still affirmed his faithfulness.  How about us?  We have been through many years of faithfulness with friends and family, many years of trying to feed the hungry and giving shelter to the homeless, many years of loving the church, many years of giving up our time for the church and the community and sadly, seeing the church declining in many ways especially after many years of unlisted self-sacrifice.  We need to ask ourselves the question that Jesus asked Peter.  Do we still love…?  Love the church?  Love people of faith?  Love the message of the gospel?  Love what we were baptised into?  Now that we know what is involved in being a disciple of Jesus, do we still want to be involved?

This is a perfect Easter question.  The resurrection is certainly exciting, but what about the suffering and death.  It is one thing to embrace the resurrection, but can we get our arms around the suffering and death, as well as the resurrection?

By Fr Trac Nguyen

 

Homily

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