“A third time Jesus asked him, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was hurt because He had asked a third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ So he said to Him: ‘Lord, You know everything. You know well that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’ ” —John 21:17
If we love Jesus, we will feed His sheep. We will feed Jesus’ followers with physical food (see Mt 25:35) and with the Bread of Life, that is, Jesus (Jn 6:35). If we love Jesus, we will feed Christians with Jesus. We do this by sharing God’s Word (see Mt 4:4) and by inviting others to come to Jesus, join His Church, and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus (see Jn 6:55).The night before Jesus died, He fed His sheep at the Last Supper by giving them His Body and Blood (see Mt 26:26ff). On the afternoon of the day Jesus rose, He fed His sheep by interpreting “for them every passage of Scripture which referred to Him” (Lk 24:27). Then He broke bread for them (Lk 24:30). Later, Jesus fed Peter and six other apostles with a breakfast of bread and fish (Jn 21:9). The risen Jesus revealed Himself to those “who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead” (Acts 10:41).Before Jesus commanded us to feed His sheep, He showed us how to do this in several multi-dimensional ways. Ultimately, to love Jesus and to feed His sheep requires that we no longer do what we please but do what is against our wills (Jn 21:18). To love is to feed, and to feed is to follow Jesus even to death (Jn 21:19). Will you die to feed His sheep?
PRAYER: Father, I offer my life for the feeding of Your people.
PROMISE: “You changed my mourning into dancing…O Lord, my God, forever will I give You thanks.” —Ps 30:12, 13
PRAISE: Praise the Risen Jesus, Who fills us with His joy and His Spirit. Alleluia!
(From a reflection by the late Fr Al Lauer’s Presentation Ministries) For the full Readings please go to:https:thewordonsunday.blogspot.comor visit our Facebook page / The Word on Sunday
John Portelli
