Homily for Friday of the 7th Week of Easter

After Jesus was arrested, Peter denied Him three times. However, after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared to Peter and asked him three times, "Do you love me?" The question Jesus asked was not focused on Peter's past actions, but on his present love for Him.

Jesus asks us the same question, "Do you love me?" This question invites us to make Jesus the center of our affection and devotion. In the Gospel of John, Jesus said, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you, remain in my love." This love relationship between us and the Lord is fundamental to our faith, and everything else we do in His name presupposes it.

Peter could not be entrusted with the responsibility of caring for the Lord's flock until he publicly declared his love for Him. Similarly, our personal relationship with the Lord comes before any work we might do in His name. Our life of faith, and our participation in the Lord's work of caring for His flock, is the result of our personal relationship of love with Him.