I sit at my dining room table looking out the back window at the wooded background and watching the sun and wind at work. The brightness of the sun shines on the splendor of spring as new leaves develop and glisten on the trees. The strong wind enhances the view as the trees bend to help the sun display all sides and colors of the leaves as well as the incredible flexibility of the trees.
I hear Bishop Robert Barron’s voice in a podcast giving a homily about the gospel of the 3rd Sunday of Easter, John 21:1-19. He starts his talk discussing the character and background of Simon Peter. We have heard many times that Jesus’s three questions to Simon on the shore after His resurrection was in essence a reconciliation for the three times he denied Jesus.
As Bishop Barron points out, it is more than that. When Simon was renamed Peter, the Rock upon who Jesus will build His church, he was declared the one who would carry on the leadership of the Church. Jesus’s three questions, “Simon, do you love me” are a clear indication that Simon Peter had fallen from that position. But Bishop Barron goes onto to bring this story home to us.
He takes us back to Peter’s denial and clearly paints the picture of how Peter felt he was in an extremely dangerous position. Simon Peter believed that Jesus was our redeemer but was he ready to suffer the same as Jesus had foretold He was going to experience?
Do you ever put yourself in the reading of Peter’s denial wondering how you would respond? I know I have many times, and believing in Jesus as I do, I still wonder would I respond as Peter did or be ready to take on the suffering. Suffering is not an attractive idea for any of us but today we have insight that Peter did not have when he denied Jesus. We know that even after the incredible passion and death that Jesus suffered, Jesus is alive! AND, Jesus calls us to join Him in life everlasting as well.
Like watching the trees bend wildly to the wind, life’s turbulence can drag us through great pain and suffering. But also like the sun shining down on that turbulence, if we allow ourselves to take in and reflect the beauty God has bestowed on us, His love, we can gain strength through our tribulations. Knowing Jesus is alive and that He wants to pour His grace and love into us, should give us that strength.
I pray that all you who read this have the love of God poured into your souls, lessening any burden of suffering, and having the strength of Peter to endure to the end of this life and on. Sharing God’s overwhelming love with others always lightens our load. Knowing Jesus is alive should help us all go out and Shine Like the Son! God bless you.
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