Gospel Reflection - 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year C



It's been said that the three times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him are representative of the three times Peter denied Jesus during His Passion. Each inquiry into his love of Christ was a chance for Peter to redeem himself & fully accept the responsibility Jesus had bestowed upon him to lead as the first pope. 

"Feed My lambs...Tend My sheep...Feed My sheep...Follow Me!"

These directives, are not just for Peter, but are for all church leaders. I think of the bishop of our diocese & one of the great successes of his leadership. Since his installation as bishop in 2022, two of his primary focuses have been vocations & evangelization. That year saw no priestly ordinations in our diocese. In May 2023, we had one priest ordained & in May 2024, we had five. Next weekend, we will see three more ordained. Since his installation as our bishop, the number of seminarians in our diocese has gone from 17 to 40. Vatican News even shared an article on this great achievement for our diocese.

These directives to Peter are also a call for us, the laity of the Church.  We must do our part to foster spiritual growth within our families, as well as sharing our Faith with all those we encounter. Any small step you can take towards tending Christ's sheep will lead to great results. Lead by example through frequent participation in the sacraments, love others through our words & actions, speak out in a loving way against things that conflict with Church teachings.

Fr. Mark-Mary of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal is currently leading the Rosary in a Year podcast for Ascension Press. Each day, he ends with the Spanish phrase, "Poco a Poco", which means "Little by Little". It's a great reminder that we don't have to make a great spectacle to get attention. All we need to do is follow Jesus, as He requests of Peter in the Gospel (& of others throughout His ministry on Earth). The closer we follow Him, the more we'll know Him. The more we know Him, the more we desire & come to be like Him. And the more we desire & come to be like Him, the more we will share Him with others. So, "Poco a Poco" we will tend to & feed His sheep! 

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