"Do You Love Me?"

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday of 7th Week of Easter, Year B, May  21st, 2021
Texts: Acts 25:13b-21; Ps. 103:1-2.11-12.19-20; John 21:15-19
Today's gospel reading reminds us of the most important quality needed in following Jesus Christ. Jesus did not ask Peter whether he could speak fluently; He did not bother about motivational skill; He turned His face away from intellectual capacity. He asked Peter only what is important: "Do you love me". The only thing He demanded from us is nothing but love. Love perfects all things. In love we listen, we care, we know and cling to the truth, we are open to instructions, we obey and the stubborn will bend, we lay down life.
We may ask the question: Why did Jesus Christ not bother about other qualities? The answer is simply this: He could give them. Love can only be inspired but not given. It cannot be given because it grows out of freedom. Love was of a great concern to Jesus because it is an expression of man's free choice of Him. However, this man's free choice of God is a response to God's choice of him; it is a response to God's love of Him. Hence, the question, "do you love me?" means have you chosen me over and above every other things? Are you ready to follow me? Are you ready to take only my counsel? Jesus Christ told him the implication of his answer thus: "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you fastened your own belt and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will fasten your belt for you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” His answer simply means that he has renounced his will for God’s will. To love Him is to leave our lives into His hands to guide and direct. We no longer determine where we go, He chooses where we go for us.
The first reading shows that Paul was a man who truly loved God. He appealed to Caesar in Rome to fulfil the will of God, who said to him, "Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome.” His appeal to Caesar was to fulfil the will of God for him to bear witness in Rome. If it was the will of God for him to allow trial in Jerusalem, he would have accepted to be sent to Jerusalem. His appeal to Caesar was not an attempt to run away from persecution. It was his love of Jesus that was taking him to Rome; he left himself in the arm of Jesus Christ to be guided and directed by Him.
We are reminded, today, that we have to love Jesus Christ first to follow Him. It is in love that we can follow Him. It is when we love Him that His Spirit dwells in us. After Jesus had convinced Peter of necessity of love of Him, He said to him,  “Follow me.” It is by our love of Him that we become His disciples. In other words, love makes us His disciples.

God our Father, we thank you for your love which inspires in us our love of you, send us your Spirit to strengthen and sustain the love we have for you. Amen.

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke