Peter’s Eyes
Homily on Friday, 7th Week of Easter, 17 May 2024, FSpIF Chapel, Talamban
There was once a little boy who was fond of adopting stray cats. Every time he would see cats outside walking around their house looking for something to eat, he would get some leftovers from the kitchen and try to feed them.
One day after hearing the same gospel passage read during Sunday Mass he approached his Mom and asked her this question: “Mommy, do you love me?” So the mother replied: “Yes, son, you know that I love you.” Then the boy said to her: “Feed my cats.”
We are almost at the end of the Easter Season. The gospel passage we have heard today presents the dialogue between Jesus and Peter by the shore of Lake Galilee several days after the Lord rose from the dead. It is good for us to know that in all the appearances of Jesus to his apostles, never did he accuse Peter of having denied him three times at the height of his arrest and trial. I believe this shows clearly that Jesus’ love for his chosen ones was truly much greater than all their sins, including all the hurt and pain he felt when they denied him and abandoned him to be crucified.
In fact after the resurrection when they were back in Galilee, Jesus even pointed to Peter and his companions where to cast their nets when he noticed they were still fishless at the lake after working the whole night. And out of his great kindness, Jesus himself prepared a charcoal fire on the sand with some fish and bread on it, so they could immediately have breakfast after such a laborious night. Later, when they were finishing breakfast by the side of the shore, Jesus seized the opportunity to ask Peter a heart-throbbing question.
Jesus: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Peter: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus: “Feed my lambs.”
Surprisingly, Jesus asked the same question three times, probably to allow Peter to make up for those moments he publicly denied his Lord three times. And after each time Peter responded with “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” Jesus also reinstated him as the head of the Church with the task of feeding and tending his flock.
And so, after the Ascension and Pentecost events, Peter, having been empowered by the Holy Spirit, followed Jesus more faithfully. As head of the Church he led the apostles to proclaim the good news of the Lord’s resurrection, first in Jerusalem, then to the other parts of the world reaching to as far as Rome, the center of the empire. It was right there where he laid down his life as a martyr for Christ, by stretching out his arms on the cross as the Lord predicted.
I end with this short sharing. Before the year 2000 I was blessed to have seen and gazed at one beautiful painting of the great Michaelangelo displayed inside the Vatican Museum. It depicts St Peter being crucified in Rome with the cross turned upside down upon his request, for according to him he wasn’t worthy to die exactly like his Master.
At one point while we were still awed by the thought-provoking image in front of us, our tour guide challenged us with this question: Could you guess what those big eyes of Peter are trying to say to his onlookers? Many of us in the group tried guessing but no one could give the right answer. So the answer was given by the tour guide himself. He said that with those big eyes Peter wants to say to all those watching him “Do you think I am going to deny my Lord a fourth time? This time, no more!”
As we prepare for the approaching solemnity of Pentecost may this Eucharist empower us with the same Spirit of the Lord to be faithful like Peter until the end. GiGsss!
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