Jesus trusts our capacity to love one another-HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER

HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER

Acts 25:13b-21; Ps.103; John 21:15-19

Jesus does not doubt our capacity to love one another. hence, he trusts in us

We cannot apply the principles of the world to the kingdom of God if we must cooperate with God in establishing His kingdom here on earth. When people seek positions in the society, they write beautiful manifestos or curriculum vitae stating how qualified they are for the positions they desire. Such positions will invariably improve their standard of living.

The gospel reading of today presents us with a contrary principle with which God operates. First, God does not call us because we are qualified but because He wants to qualify us. God bestows His gifts on us not because we deserve it but because He wants to work in and through us. And so, Jesus bestowed authority on Peter today despite the fact that Peter denied him three times.

The only qualification Jesus demanded of Peter was love. It was necessary that Jesus demanded a threefold declaration of love from Peter to heal the bond that was broken when Peter denied Him three times. It is this same qualification of love that Jesus demands of us today. Jesus wants to know if we love Him in those around us. The only thing Jesus wants to see in our “curriculum vitae” is that we are ready to truly love. If we do not sincerely love those around us, we cannot become like the Good Shepherd to them; that it, we will not use the positions and wealth God has given us to help others.

Jesus did not take out time to spell out what particular actions He expects of Peter towards the sheep because for someone who truly loves, laws are not necessary for guidance. It becomes glaring that when people only follow the dictates of the law in their relationship with others, they are merely fulfilling obligations; they are not loving. Laws are not capable of legislating on every aspect of human relationship. Infact, Law cannot legislate Love. In asking Peter “do you love me” three times, Jesus was demanding from him (you and I inclusive), a religiosity that goes beyond keeping the rules. A person that has no love will not “feed the sheep and tend the lamb” in those areas where the law is silent. This is one of the major causes of the culture of indifference that is fast robbing humanity of its spiritual and social nature.

When Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep, He specified no limit. When we focus on limits, we are not building the kingdom of God but a political society. Jesus reminds us in John 18:36 that His kingdom is not of this world. It is by loving that we will make the difference. In fact, only a loving heart can interpret laws according to the mind of God. We were saved by love not by law; and so, we may not be following Christ if we do not go beyond the law. Jesus trusts that we can love that is why He bestows His gifts on us at Pentecost. If we receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit without love in us, we will surely disappoint the giver of the gifts. As we anticipate another Pentecost experience, let us pray for the grace not to betray Jesus’ trust in us.