Second Chances

“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.’ He then said to him a second time, ‘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 distressed that he 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.’” (John 21:15-17)

This conversation takes place in John’s gospel after the disciples have been fishing all night and caught nothing. Before the disciples recognized that it was Jesus, he tells them to cast their net over the right side of the boat and the net is so full they are not able to pull it in. When Simon Peter hears that it is the Lord, he jumps into the sea and runs to shore. This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples. It is obvious, through his action, that Peter loves the Lord. So it is distressing to him that Jesus asks him three times, “Do you love me?” some of the discomfort that Peter felt may have been from the fact that, Jesus asking him this question three times, reminded him of the three times that he denied Christ. For us, this passage is a reminder of Christ’s mercy. Each time that we deny Christ, that we turn our back on him and toward sin, we are also given the opportunity to once again profess our love for Christ. We are forgiven through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We are given a second (and third, and forth, etc) chance to reclaim our love for Christ and again follow Him.

In yesterday’s gospel, Jesus wants us to know that the perfect love that God has for him, Jesus Christ, is the same love that can be in us. We are not capable of loving perfectly except with divine intervention. It is only when this perfect love is infused in us, that we are able to experience it. He has revealed to us who his Father is and now wants us to experience the perfect love that exists between him and his father, our Father. This perfect love that forgives all wrongs, that heals all wounds, that provides comfort during sorrow and courage during times of temptations. This perfect love counteracts each of our own denials of Christ. This loves sends us forth, just as it did Peter, to tend His sheep. To share this perfect love with all those that God places in our care.