Love Is Demanding

Friday of the 7th week of Eastertide 

Acts 25:13-21
Ps 102(103):1-2,11-12,19-20
John 21:15-19

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see that after an unfinished trial before the Sanhedrin, a group of Jews conspired against Paul. He is now in Caesarea but knows that he won’t get a fair trial in Jerusalem.

Therefore, as a Roman citizen, he asks to be tried in Rome itself, which aligns with Christ’s vision for him to go and preach the Gospel in Rome.

Today’s gospel passage according to St. John is a well-known one in which Christ asks Peter if he loves Him, and gives Peter a hint about how he is to die.

Despite having denied Christ three times, Peter now affirms three times that he does indeed love Him. This challenges us to reflect on whether others can see our love for Christ in how we live our lives.

In entrusting His flock to Simon Peter, Christ persistently demanded love for Him and His sheep. Love is demanding and sacrificial. Therefore, loving Jesus must be total and consistent, and bearing witness to such great love would take us far beyond our expectations.

We have to be ready to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of our love for Jesus. The Good news is this: Christ came into the world to save us by dying on the cross, and we too are given the task of spreading the love of Christ everywhere.

Humility and sacrifice are the essence of true love. Love without sacrifice and humility is not true love, but rather a selfish kind of love based on love for oneself. Do we compromise our faith and put our needs and other unimportant things before our love for Jesus? Let’s believe in Him, trust in Him, and remember that He is coming back again. Christ is asking you today, “Do you love me?”

PRAYER

May God give us the grace to continue to love Him with our whole minds, hearts, souls, and strength, and love others with the same sort of unconditional love with which He has loved us. Amen.

Fr Joseph Osho