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

 

True Leadership

True leadership is true service especially to the lowliest of all.

1 Before the feast of Passover,[c] Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already induced[d] Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 5 [e]Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed[f] has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” 11 For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”12 So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.-John13:1-15

Anywhere in time, we can always read and see kings, queens and leaders live in palaces, beautiful gardens, soldiers and servants at their disposal, in short a comfortable life. In Charles Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities, he perfectly illustrated the life of the aristocracy and that of the peasantry. The aristocrats, nobles and royals live in palaces, with good food and wine, and flowing money. Life is good for them. But the peasantry lived poorly and sometimes with nothing at all. Those who are powerful and rich expects to be served and looked up to all the time. But Jesus is the most unique of all powerful leaders. He lives poorly, simply, humbly, above all, loves and serves all especially the poor, the lost, the last and the least. Jesus taught a new and better way of leadership - service with love and humility. For me, all leaders are supposed to be shepherds. A shepherd's work is supposed to care, look after, and protect the sheep, and not the other way around (that is, the sheep caring for the shepherd). Jesus is once more inviting us to be servant-leaders. If we want to be a leader, we have to give our life to service. A true leader must never seek his/her own comforts, luxury and needs.

Image courtesy: artist

Mothers!

Stay humble. Stay in focus.

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve [disciples] aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”20 Then the mother[b] of the sons of Zebedee approached him with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. 21 He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking.[c] Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” 23 He replied, “My cup you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left [, this] is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. 26 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; 27 whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28 Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom[d] for many.”-Matthew20:17-28

Mothers! Really! The many things a mother will do for her child. I cannot really blame the mother of James and John for asking such a request, after all, she only wants the best for her two sons. However, the kingdom of God is not according to our perceptions and expectations. It is not an Olympus or a magnificent place for the fabulous and the elite. The kingdom of God is all about love, humility, the cross, generosity, sacrifice, suffering and also joy. In the kingdom of God, the first and the great must be the servant and slave of all, willing to serve without counting the cost, willing to give up his/her life.

Image courtesy: Brooklyn Museum 

A Thought for the Brain

Probe deeper.

7 “Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”-Luke17:7-10

If I was there and Jesus asked, "Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?" I would say automatically, "Yes, Lord. I would ask my servant to eat and drink with me." But upon probing deeper, I realized I wouldn't say it. It's not because I am particular with class distinction, rather, I am exposed to the norm that masters/mistresses should not be together during meals if it can be helped. I say this because there are certain things that the family cannot discuss in front of servants, and servants have certain things that cannot be shared as well with the masters/mistresses. Don't get me wrong. Let's face it. There are matters we cannot do or say in front of our bosses. There are matters we cannot do or say in front of our subordinates.

Jesus, though seemingly harsh, is right when He said that after doing everything, we should say, "We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty." God cannot be bribed by our good works, accomplishments and awards. God cannot be bought by our money or acts. The blessings that we have are not because we are so good, brilliant and talented that whatever we touch turns to gold. We cannot say, "I did it, Lord. I finished the job. Now You should give this to me." No. What we have and the blessings that we receive every day comes from His bounty. We should remember that whether we do much or less, God still blesses us with gifts and graces because He loves us so much. We should humble ourselves as we remember that whatever we do - small and great alike - comes from Him, through Him, and from Him shall its result come forth.

Image courtesy: Colourbox, artist