Saint of the day – Saint Rita of Cascia, Religious
“Consider, then, with what deeper feelings of devotion God has willed that we should honour Mary, He who has placed the fullness of all good in her; so that if there is any hope in us, if any grace, if any salvation, we know that it overflows from her…”
– Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
Gospel Reading : John 21:15-19
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.”
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.”
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.
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.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.)
And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”
What do the Fathers say?
St ALCUIN. He is called Simon, son of John, John being his natural father. But mystically, Simon is obedience, John grace, a name well befitting him who was so obedient to God’s grace, that he loved our Lord more ardently than any of the others. Such virtue arising from divine gift, not mere human will.
St AUGUSTINE. While our Lord was being condemned to death, Peter was filled with fear, and denied Him.
But by His resurrection Christ implanted love in his heart, and drove away fear.
Peter denied Him, because he feared to die: but when our Lord was risen from the dead, and by His death destroyed death, what should he fear? He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.”On this confession of his love, our Lord commends His sheep to him: He said to him, Feed My lambs: as if there were no way of Peter’s showing his love for Him, but by being a faithful shepherd, under the chief Shepherd.
Three confessions are made to answer to the three denials; that the tongue might show as much love as it had fear, and life gained draw out the voice as much as death threatened.
St John CHRYSOSTOM. That which most of all attracts the Divine love is care and love for our neighbour. Our Lord passing by the rest, addresses this command to Peter: he being the chief of the Apostles, the mouth of the disciples, and head of the college.
Our Lord no longer remembers his sin in denying Him, or brings that as a charge against him, but commits to him at once the superintendence over his brethren.
If you love Me, show forth that love; and that life which you said that you would lay down for Me, lay it down for the sheep.
A third time He asks the same question, and gives the same command; to show of what importance He esteems the superintendence of His own sheep, and how He regards it as the greatest proof of love to Him.
Our Lord having made Peter declare his love, informs him of his future martyrdom; an intimation to us how we should love: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would;. He reminds him of his former life, because, whereas in worldly matters a young man has powers, an old man none;
in spiritual things, on the contrary, virtue is brighter, manliness stronger, in old age; age is no hindrance to grace.
Peter had all along desired to share Christ’s dangers; so Christ tells him, Be of good cheer; I will fulfil thy desire in such a way, that what you have not suffered when young, you shall suffer when old:But when thou art old. Whence it appears, that he was then neither a young nor an old man, but in the prime of life.
St AUGUSTINE. First He said what would come to pass, secondly, how it would come to pass.
For it was not when crucified, but when about to be crucified, that he was led where he would rather not go.
He wished to be released from the body, and be with Christ; but, if it were possible, he wished to attain to eternal life without the pains of death: to which he went against his will, but conquered by the force of his will, and triumphing over the human feeling, so natural a one, that even old age could not deprive Peter of it.
But whatever be the pain of death, it ought to be conquered by the strength of love for Him, Who being our life, voluntarily also underwent death for us. For if there is no pain in death, or very little, the glory of martyrdom would not be great.
Sources:
Bible readings from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Second Catholic Edition, copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Quotes of the Fathers from Thomas Aquinas’ Catena Aurea Translated by St John Henry Newman
Artwork ex Wikimedia Commons