When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the 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. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Showing all posts in April 2025
VIGILANCE, COURAGE AND RECOLLECTION
“Vigilance, but without fear; courage, but without recklessness; recollection, but active” (Inner Word).
Here is some advice on how to live fruitfully our following of Christ. Vigilance is part of our basic equipment as Christians. It is not only a matter of identifying and repulsing the devil’s insidious attacks, but of being attentive to our whole way of life, in accordance with the Apostle Paul’s exhortation: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:15-16).
THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 20:30-31; 21:1-14): “The Apparition of Jesus at the Sea of Tiberias”
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tibe′ri-as; and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathan′a-el of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zeb′edee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat; but that night they caught nothing.
DIVINE PROVIDENCE RULES ALL THINGS
“Divine Providence rules all things, and what we consider evil is a remedy” (St. Jerome).
These words are spiritually challenging and should instill in us a deeper faith. For understandable reasons, we all resist the evils that may befall us, and rightly so, for evil cannot simply be tolerated. However, since our heavenly Father integrates even evil into His plan of salvation, He will use it for the good of His own. Here we must make a distinction that is as subtle as it is essential: God can never actively will evil, but He can allow it to happen and thus turn it into a medicine that heals and strengthens us.
GIVE NO PLACE TO SADNESS
“Sadness is a great obstacle: it suffocates life, dims the light and extinguishes the fire of love” (John Tauler).
The masters of the spiritual life warn us insistently against the gloomy thoughts to which we give space in ourselves. The Desert Fathers refer to them as ‘tristitia’, which means disordered sadness. This is quite different from the sadness we may feel for our personal sins, which leads to repentance, or the sadness for the sins of the world, which leads us to pray and sacrifice for humanity.
THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 20:24-29): “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”
Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”
THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 20:19-23): “The Risen Lord appears to His disciples”
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
On the evening of that same day, the Lord showed himself to the disciples, who, fearing persecution from the Jews, had hidden themselves. But Jesus found His way to them, even through the closed doors, and began by wishing them peace. These were the first words of the Risen One to His disciples, and in them is expressed what is foreseen for all people.
THE LOVE OF GOD PRECEDES US
‘If the soul seeks God, much more does her Beloved seek her’ (St. John of the Cross).
We must always be attentive to the Lord and seek Him in everything. This is the language of love, and it is God Himself who invites us to do so: “Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you!” (Mt 7:7). If we follow the inner invitation of our Father, our soul will have set out on the path prepared for her. “Our heart is restless until it rests in you”, exclaimed Saint Augustine, whose deep search for God we know from his Confessions.
THE MERCIFUL GOODNESS OF GOD
“How little is known the merciful goodness and love of your heart” (St. Teresa of Avila).
St Teresa expresses here what we also know from the Father’s message, as a kind of lament that this relationship of deep trust between God and His children has not yet been realised as He wants it to be.
THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN (Jn 20:11-18): “The Risen One appears to Mary Magdalene”
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rab-bo′ni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Mag′dalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.