Today’s gospel reading is my favorite passage in the bible. I love these verses in the bible more than any other words that are found in sacred scripture:
“After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered 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. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
I could write an entire book about this passage in the bible, because I love it so much. The reason that I love it so much is because I can sympathize deeply with Peter’s feelings of guilt because of his betrayal of his relationship with Jesus. It must have been like a cancer eating on his soul, a deep pain in his heart that lingered long after Jesus’s death. Peter’s sin still weighed heavily on his heart when he came into Christ’s presence again, and he probably felt like he was unworthy to be Christ’s friend and disciple.
I also think back to the time that Peter met Jesus for the very first time … when he saw the miraculous catch of fish, he said, “Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” But, what did Jesus do? He told Peter, “Come with me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
I can’t even begin to put into words, the deep love and compassion that Jesus expressed to Peter. He didn’t even acknowledge Peter’s sins and failures. It’s like, that isn’t even what mattered to Jesus at all. What mattered to Jesus, is that Peter genuinely loved him. In spite of all of his human weaknesses, sins, faults and shortcomings, Jesus saw Peter’s heart. He had a heart of gold.
Are there people in your life that are like that? Family members, friends or acquaintances that have a lot of faults and shortcomings, maybe even serious sins that they committed in the past, yet in spite of all their flaws – you love them anyway? In families, sometimes a child that acts up the worst ends up being even closer to their parents in spite of all the trouble they caused them. This was true with the prodigal son’s father, and this is true with Jesus too.
My father in law had a lot of shortcomings, faults and sins (some of which were serious in the past) and yet, I loved him with all of my heart. He is dead now, but when I remember him, I do not remember his faults. His love is what lives in my heart to this day. His smile, his hugs, his kindness and the many acts of love that he did for me throughout his life is what I remember. This will never die. My love for him is eternal. His love for me is also eternal. Death does not separate us.
I think Jesus’s love for us is like this too. He sees through our human weaknesses and looks directly into the heart of the matter. He sees who we really are. He loves us for who we really are. Jesus sees the whole of our life, not the momentary failures that we all experience from time to time.
Jesus not only forgave Peter, but for each of the three times that Peter sinned against him – Jesus gave him the means to make restitution. Jesus gave him the medicine that he needed, in order to be healed and made whole again, and to feel worthy of his love and friendship. And, not just worthy of his love and friendship … Jesus founded his entire church on him, and gave him the keys to the kingdom. He trusted Peter with the most important task on earth – even after he betrayed him three times.
This has been a healing thing for me to write today, and I hope that it has been a healing thing for you to read too. Jesus heals us at our deepest level, restoring us to wholeness. He did so for me in an unexpected way today, and I pray that he will also reach your innermost need, or deepest hurt, and heal it today as well.
