Do you love me?

          When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” 
          “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” 
          Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” 
          He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
          Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” 
          Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” 
         Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!” 
               Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
                Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” (John 21:15-2 2)


          Yesterday's questions continue. For a few minutes, eating fish with Jesus, things might have seemed to Peter to be the way they used to be, but I suspect he was waiting to hear his name called. At last it came, attached to a question: "Do you love me more than these?" Who or what are these? More than the fish? More than the other disciples? If the latter, was Jesus asking if Peter loved the other disciples more than he loved Jesus, or if Peter loved Jesus more than the other disciples did? I suspect it was the latter.
          What did Peter make of Jesus' answer: "Feed my lambs"? Did his heart start beating faster? Could it be? But no, Jesus asked the same question a second time, Peter's heart probably broke again. Some people believe Jesus asked Peter three times to somehow make up for the three denials. That's possible, but I see something else here. Prior to Jesus' arrest and crucifixion, Peter vowed that he would die with Jesus if need be. He might have gotten angry that Jesus thought He needed to ask. Of course, Peter loved Jesus. He was loyal to the end and beyond. He was Jesus' right hand man, the greatest disciple! Willing to die for Jesus! Then came the courtyard and the crowing rooster. Now, Peter faced Jesus as a failure and faced questions that were a little tougher in the Greek:

Do you love (agape) Me more than these others do?

Do you truly love (agape) Me?

Do you love (phileis, brotherly love) Me?

          Of course, Peter is right, Jesus knew the answer. This test wasn't to reassure Jesus. It was to bring Peter face to face with Peter. No more loud proclamations. Yes, Peter loved Jesus, but it was a love aware of just how weak the lover was.
          This is one question I dread hearing from Jesus. Another is "Do you trust Me?" I want to say yes, but what would those things look like? Every time Peter claimed he did, Jesus gave him instructions, and those instructions were basically the same: take care of what matters to Jesus. This makes things a little harder for me. It's always about His people. Feed them. Care for them. Why does it have to be people? Especially those people. Those people knew how badly he had blown it. Still, Jesus makes it clear. To love Him, we must love those Jesus accepts as His own. Reject the Church, and your claims of love for Christ are lies.
       Time to look in the mirror for a long time and ask those eyes looking back, "Do I really love Jesus?"