Loving the Lord and being Loved by Him

In today's Gospel, John 21: 15-19, Jesus asks Peter three times:  "'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?"  Simon Peter answered him, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.'  Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' He then said to Simon peter a second time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Simon Peter answered him, 'Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Tend my sheep.' He said to him a third time, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me?' Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, 'Do you love me?' and he said to him, 'Lord you know everything;  you know that I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep'...."

Let us imagine this conversation between Jesus and ourselves:

      "Dorothy Ann (insert your name), do you love me?"
      "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."
      "Feed my lambs."

      "Dorothy Ann (insert your name), do you love me?"
      "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!"
      "Tend my sheep."

      "Dorothy Ann (insert  your name), do you love me?"
      "Yes, Lord you know everything. You KNOW that I love you."
      "Feed my sheep."

I might then ask the Lord: "Lord, why are you asking me this three times?" And his response might be: "Because, first of all,  I notice that you have an tendency to abandon my ways when the going gets rough just as Peter had done in his denials.  Second of all, I notice that you have a tendency to avoid sacrifices and take the easy way out, frustrating yourself in the long run and causing me the pain of seeing you in distress, even though I know that it is the distress that will catapult you into making more life-giving choices.  And third of all, I notice that you have a tendency to insist on being at my side on Calvary when I know that your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak, as was Peter's.  So, you see, I know that you love me but I also know that you need to be challenged in the same way that I challenged Peter. As with Peter, I am teaching you to depend upon me for the graces you need. Calling upon me repeatedly, you will, with Me at your side, feed and tend to my lambs and sheep.

Jesus' Love for Martha

Today we celebrate the feast of St. Martha, a close friend of Jesus.  She is the one who asked Jesus to tell her sister Mary to help her in meeting their hospitality responsibilities when He visited them.  Jesus is very honest with Martha and says to her:  Mary has chosen the better part, that is, sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to Him. That is not to say that service is not important. Both are! We need to balance both of these ways of serving the Lord. Martha also witnesses to her faith in Jesus when He came to visit them four days after Lazarus had died. She says to Him: “If you had been here, my brother would never have died.  Even now, I am sure that God will give you whatever you ask of him.” Jesus says to her: “Your brother will rise again.” Martha replies: “I know he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”   Jesus tells her: "I am the resurrection and the life: whoever believes in me, though he should die, will  come to life; and whoever is alive and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”  “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe that  you are the Messiah, the Son of God: he who is to come into the world.”  (John 11: 19-27).

Do you believe? How strong is your faith? How confident are you in Jesus as the Messiah?  Do you have a relationship with Jesus as did Martha? She was very natural with Jesus, very open and honest with Him. She complained to Him. She challenged Him. She shared her hopes with Him. She served Him. She shared her beliefs with Him. She shared her love with Him. 

Lord, may we grow in our faith as Martha did! May we be as honest with you as she was. May we rejoice in your visits as she did, go out to meet you as she did. May we grow to know you as intimately as she did. I ask for these grace in Your name.