The three-fold question

Jesus and Peter.

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter,[a] “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”[b] He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 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.” 17 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. 18 [c]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.” 19 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.”-John21:15-19

Yes, it is very noticeable that Jesus addressed Peter by his previous name - Simon, son of John, and not as Cephas. As Simon, son of John, Peter is a man just like the rest, with both strengths and weaknesses. As Cephas or Rock, Peter is a fisher of men, a disciple, a chosen servant of God and successor of Jesus. To whom does Peter truly belong? To the world? Or to Jesus? For me, this is not just a simple Q&A portion. Here, Jesus wants to know if this 'weak' man do really want to be a fisher of men. Here, Jesus wants to know if Peter truly repented. Here, Jesus gives Peter the chance to undo what the latter did in the past (deserting and denying the Messiah) by confirming his love for Jesus at that moment until the end. Here, Jesus wants to know if Peter is willing to leave the 'man' inside of him to be the true fisher of men, shepherd of the flock and successor of Jesus. Well, I do believe Peter answered according to the will of God for him. So too, like him, we are sometimes asked by God. Sometimes we need to confirm and truly embrace with zeal the will of God for us.

Image courtesy: Mitchell Tolle

 

Rise Again

What will you do with the Word of God?

1 [a]On another occasion he began to teach by the sea.

... 3 [c]“Hear this! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. 8 And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9 He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

... 13 [e]Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. 17 But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, 19 but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. 20 But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”-Mark4:1-20

When I was young, my teacher would ask us which soil do we belong. Of course, answering logically, we all say, "The rich soil!" Nobody would say that s/he belonged to the path, or to the rocky ground, or to the thorny area. However, I realized that the four areas where the seed feel are our acceptance of the Word in our lives. As I look back on my experiences during meditation, I realized that I have been into the 4 areas at certain points in my life. I have been into the 4 areas in one day even! Like those people who received the Word and quickly forgot it, I am guilty of not listening to the priest's homily sometimes. Like those people who received the Word with joy but when trials came, fall away, I am guilty of being defensive and a little proud when confronted during difficult times before. Like those people who fall and forgot the Word in the face of pleasure, worldly concerns and lures of riches, I am guilty of giving in to these temptations before. But, just like those who bore fruit thirty, sixty and a hundredfold, I am happy to say that, yes, I bore fruit too and still bearing fruit. Jesus' constant invitation for us is to continue bearing fruit. We may fall, we may fail, but what is more important is rising again and continuing to bear fruit through acts of kindness and even little acts of love. What is more important is we listened to the Word of God and His will for us, and planted it in our hearts and in our lives.

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The Lord's Wish and Will

It is the Lord's will.

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.[a] When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.

14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”

15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.-Luke5:12-16

Jesus made many healings and miracles. I believe many accounts of these wonderful acts were still unknown to this day. The story of the healing of the leper is not just any ordinary curing of leprosy. What makes it standout from so many healing stories of leprosy is that the leper (in some way) asked Jesus' will. When we are in dire circumstances, we immediately make a list of what we want God to do for us. We immediately make known to God about OUR will. I had encounters with sick people and hospital patients and most of them would say, "I want to be healed" or "I want the pain to go away." When was the last time we asked God about His will? When was the last time we listened to Him? to what He wants from us or what He wants us to do to be better persons?

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What do they want exactly?

Well, what's the right thing to do?

16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

17 “‘We played the pipe for you,

and you did not dance;

we sang a dirge,

and you did not mourn.’

18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”-Matthew11:16-19

The paradox of it all! John was a prophet even by just looking at his lifestyle. Yet, the people say of him, "He has a demon." Jesus was a people person, The Prophet for the people, One that stays and understands with the people. Yet, they say of Him, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners." Well, what do they want exactly?

People expects much from others. If we give in to what the people want, there will always be a few who complain. If we do not give what the people want, still there will always be a few who complain. If we give more than what the people want, still there will always be a few who complain. What to do then? To just follow and seek the will of God. All our works should be for Him alone, and never to please others.

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