The Third Sunday of Easter, May 1, 2022

John 21, 1–19

At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish. When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead.  

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a 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. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” 

I posted a reflection on John 21, 1-14 on the Friday in the octave of Easter, April 23, 2022, so I will mainly keep this reflection on the last part of this Gospel reading.  

“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”  By addressing Peter in this way, the Lord indicates the formality with which he is speaking to him.  The Lord asks him if he loves him more than the other Apostles do.  Peter’s reply, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you”, is more literally translated from the Greek, “Yes, Lord, you have known that I love you.”  The tense of the verb translated here as “known” is in the perfect, not the present, as in the lectionary.  That is, Lord, you have known all along that I love you.  We should understand this as in reference to Peter’s three denials at the time of the Lord’s Passion.  Peter is saying that he knows that the Lord knew of his love even despite the denials, for Peter had acted out of weakness, not out of malice.  Peter may not have heard the last part of the Lord’s question: “more than these” because he does not really answer this.  This may have been caused by his preoccupation with the first part of the Lord’s question.  Following the denials, over which he grieved deeply, he must have wanted, above all things, to assure Jesus of his love.

“Feed my lambs.”  This command of the Lord brings to mind how he had commanded his Apostles to feed the crowds on two occasions from baskets of a few fish and loaves of bread.  Here, the Lord says “lambs”, that is, those whose faith is still new and weak.  

“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”  It is not clear if St. John abbreviates the original question, or if the Lord does, so that it is easier for Peter to answer.  Peter gives the same reply as to the first question.  “Tend my sheep.”  The word translated as “tend” also means “to shepherd”.  This command brings to mind how the Lord Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep” (John 10, 11).  The Lord here calls Peter to share in his life in a particular way, as the shepherd designated by the Shepherd.  Notably, he does this with no other Apostle.  Then Jesus Lord asks again, “Do you love me?”, stripping the question to its  elements.  It is as though the Lord were pressing him for an answer Peter should know but cannot seem able to give.  Peter, upset with the Lord asking him this question again, answered, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”  But in fact, Peter does not answer the question.  The answer is not, “You know that I love you.”  The answer is, “Yes, Lord, I love you.”  Peter fails to say whether he loves the Lord more than the other Apostles and then fails to answer to simpler questions of whether he loves him.  The Lord knows well that at this point in time, Peter can go no further.  His love is not perfect, but it is sufficient for now.  The Lord replies, “Feed my sheep.”  Peter’s faith is strong, but his love must still grow.

“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  The Lord sets this out for Peter ahead of time, allowing him to know that he will suffer and die for his sake.  But the Lord also confirms that his need to grow perfect in love will continue even to the time he is arrested, teaching him that he must grow perfect in it to attain the highest happiness in heaven.  It is profession of our faith in Jesus that will result in our persecution, but it is our love for Jesus Christ that will enable us to suffer and die for him: “Follow me.”  Let us follow the love of our lives.