After they had finished the breakfast prepared and served by Jesus, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?"
And Peter answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
Jesus said, "Feed my lambs."
Then Jesus asks him the same question and Peter replies the same, but now Jesus says, "Tend my sheep." And then a third time Jesus asks the same question, "Do you love me?" and Peter is distressed and replies: "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Then Jesus says to him, "Feed my sheep."
Peter had denied Jesus three times. Now Jesus gives Peter the opportunity to affirm three times that he loves him. Peter's answer is one of my favorite lines from the Gospels that I often find myself repeating: "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." I like it better in Spanish and had it written across a blackboard in my office in Chile until the earthquake of 1965 destroyed office, school, and convent. "Senor, tu sabes todo; tu sabes que te quiero." Sorry but this is without the accents.
Jesus also says to Peter, "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." Something for me to reflect on as I grow old.
Then Jesus says: "Follow me."
He continues to call us and asks only that we love him!
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