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15 |
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” |
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16 |
A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” |
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17 |
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. |
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18 |
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” |
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19 |
(This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.” – John 21:15-19 |
Last Sunday, a missionary Jesuit Priest from the Philippines celebrated the masses in my parish. He was invited by someone from Montreal who once visited his area in Palawan in the Philippines. The montrealer told him that he should come to Montreal to share the work that they do. During his homily, he went through the different parts of the Gospel and explained it in a way that is easier for the masses to understand . Personally, I was really touched by his homily because I truly felt that it came from his heart. He even had a long pause at one point during the homily as he started becoming emotional because he said that he was really personally touched by the Gospel. The bible verses above are the last part of the Gospel last Sunday. This was the part where Fr. Lito became emotional. Inside the church, you could also feel that the whole parish was sharing the same emotion with him. He said that when Jesus asked Simon Peter if he loves Him it is not to insult him or question his love but simply a reminder. Simon Peter’s response to Jesus that he loves him and repeatedly said so three times as the Lord had asked him is Jesus’ way of reminding him on what Simon Peter’s love for Him entails. Jesus asked him to feed His lambs, tend His sheep, feed His sheep, and at the end the Lord God tells Simon Peter,
“Follow Me”.
How much do we really love our Lord?
How far are we willing to go?
Are we ready to feed His lambs,
to tend His sheep,
to feed His sheep?
Are we ready to follow Him?
Are we ready to love Him?
Fr. Lito said that this same incident happened to him and this is the reason why he is where he is right now. God asked him “Do you love me?”. This question, he answered without hesitation, “I love You Lord, more than these”. At that point in his life, he was already in the midst of his career as a Civil Engineer, but he felt that he was longing for more. He then went back to the Philippines and entered the seminary. As he was sharing this, and throughout the whole Eucharistic celebration, he looked so happy. He seemed so joyful and content and very much at peace. His face and entire being radiates his love for the Lord. He is so in love with the Lord.
Fr. Lito also shared that in service we need to smell the same scent as the people that we are serving. We need to smell like them. We need to be one with the people we are serving. We need to be with the people we are serving. We need to eat what they eat. We need to live as they live. We need to breathe the same air that our brothers and sisters are breathing. If they breathe God’s Spirit, we should also breathe the same Spirit.
This whole Mass was such a great experience for me, reminding me of who I am as a daughter of God. I was moved. The times that I would feel that I am unworthy of His love; He affirms me oh so quickly. There is no need for me, for us to ask, “God, do You love me?” because I know that His answer is eternal and will never change. “I love you my child” I pray that whenever God will ask me, “My daughter, do you love me?”, that I will be able to answer this question with all my heart, each time without fail. I pray that I will always be able to answer God’s love without hesitation, rather always with full conviction.
“Lord, I love you. I want to grow more in love with You.”
Have a wonderful day brothers and sisters.
God bless us always.
Peace and Love,
Apple
🙂
“Radiating Christ”
Dear Jesus,
Help me to spread Your fragrance everywhere I go.
Flood my soul with Your Spirit and Life.
Penetrate and possess my whole being
So utterly that my life may only be
A radiance of Yours.
Shine through me, and be so in me
That every soul I come in contact with
May feel Your presence in my soul.
Let them look up,
And see no longer me, but only Jesus!
Stay with me and then I shall begin
To shine as You shine,
So to shine as to be a light to others;
The light, O Jesus will be all from You;
None of it will be mine;
It will be you, shining on others through me.
Let me thus praise You
In the way You love best,
By shining on those around me.
Let me preach You without preaching,
Not by words but by example,
By the catching force,
The sympathetic influence of what I do,
The evident fullness of the love
My heart bears for You.
Amen.
– Mother Teresa
Praise God for this and praise God for you Apple.