Third Sunday of Easter
April 25, 2004
What is the “THESE” that Jesus is referring to when he asks Simon if he loves him more than these?
Much has been made of the three fold questioning of Peter by Jesus. Most often it is presented as a reversal of the three-fold denial of Jesus by Peter. Some have couched it as describing the process of forgiveness and reconciliation. Jesus gives Peter three opportunities to say what he couldn’t before, to do what he should have before. I was intrigued, though, by what one commentator had to say about the whole passage. He said that the first question is introduced by: “Do you love me more than these?” Most often, we read that and think of the other six disciples. This author invites you to step back and look at the context.
Peter’s been out fishing with his disciples - his original occupation. It must have been so familiar - the nets, the creaking of the boats, the muscle memory of thousands of casts and retrievals, the smell of the water, and the sunrise coming over the horizon. Even the lack of a catch was comfortingly familiar. And then, after swimming through the waters - a symbol of the cleansing waters of baptism and after a meal with obvious Eucharistic overtones, Jesus asks the question. “Do you love me more than THESE.” Do you love me more than this familiar life, do you love me more than the ordinary unfolding of a daily routine, do you love me more than THESE kinds of days and activities? Do you love me enough to leave THESE behind? Do you love me enough to let how I want your life to unfold to be the guide? Do you love me enough to be about the ‘WORK OF EASTER’ - that of feeding lambs and sheep? Do you love me more than all of this? For if you say yes, then someone else will stretch out your hands and lead you where you do not want to go… Fortunately for us, Simon had the courage to say yes. And our world is different for his yes.
Do you love me more than these, is the question that our Archdiocese lays before us these next few weeks in the annual Development Appeal. Each year, countless men and women - old and young - are impacted by the fruits of this appeal. 39% of the Appeal goes to education. 31% goes to people programs. 14% goes to support your priest, retired and active. The Newman will receive 71% of its yearly funding from this. St. Ann’s has been the beneficiary of a 15,000 grant for renovating our kitchen, and a 10,000 grant to help keep our tuition affordable for our children. This appeal is perhaps the most concrete way you can love Jesus more than these. It is one of the ways you can ‘love one another as I have loved you’ - the theme of the appeal.
Allow me one quick story that makes the ADA very concrete. At our annual Awakening Retreat, one of the students, Angie, was giving her talk. That in itself was a minor miracle, as she is very quiet. She was relating the story of her journey of faith. “I was not Catholic, but I was interested in becoming one. I went to my home parish for 8 weeks in a row. Not a single person said hello to me during that entire time, and when I tried to introduce myself to the priest, he did his best, but was besieged by the rest of the parishioners coming out of mass. I did not feel welcomed there. But when I came to the Newman Center Mass, EVERYONE welcomed me, the priest had time for me, the staff was so supportive. Because of that welcome, I stand as a Catholic before you today.” Last year, she was baptized at St. Ann parish. In one month, she will be setting off, with seven others from the Newman Center for a week of service to the people in rural Appalachia. All of this was made possible through the ADA.
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” And the same Jesus appears before you and I and asks us: Do you love me more than these? Do you love me enough to let the broader needs of the diocese tie your hands and your wallet and lead you to a sacrificial gift so that the good news might continue? After mass, this week and the next few, your pledge card will be in the back of church. Please pray over your gift. Your sacrificial pledge, however small or large, will ensure that the Newman Center, Deaf Ministry, and all the crucial, hands on services that make Jesus’ love so real and concrete to the world, will continue to be there for all who need to be fed and tended and cared for.
“People of the Catholic Newman Center, do you love me more than these? Then tend my sheep… Amen.”