Peter becomes the head of the Church

In the world of matter, it is often said: Something for something. Although it may seem that this is also true in the area of ​​faith, this is not the case. Because in the realm of faith, we speak of love, and in the realm of matter, we speak of egoism.

Let’s judge for ourselves with the gospel. After the repeated question of the Lord Jesus to Peter three times: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Three times confessed: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” … he challenged him: “Follow me ! “(Jn 21: 15-19). The Easter season is ending. For a few days, we paid attention to Jesus’ high priesthood prayer, which is his testamentary speech, and today we have heard the Lord Jesus appoint Peter as the head of the Church, the supreme shepherd – the pope.

Jesus first pointed out to his apostles the unity of faith and love because it is to become the focus in the person of Peter, to whom the Lord Jesus wants to entrust his Church, the flock, his sheep, that is, his believers. It is, of course, because the Lord Jesus does not examine Peter’s talents for this office, his organizational talent, his theological knowledge, nor his legal talent, but asks him about his love for him. Earlier, the Lord Jesus emphasized in his teaching that the first of the apostles can be the one who has the most courage to serve and the most to love. That is why he asks Peter, “Do you love me?” (Jn 21:15). The meaning of this moment, but to warn Peter that he denied him three times, and not to humble him, but to show him that he forgave him, and at the same time reminds him that in his responsible mission, when he will lead the Church, he must not rely only on himself, because it could lead to a new fall, as Peter could have seen, but to rely only on God. Peter replies, “Lord, you know everything, you know very well that I love you!” (Jn 21:17). We see that Peter no longer relies on himself but calls the Lord Jesus himself to witness his love. This will become a consolation to Peter, but also the other apostles. The Lord Jesus knows their weaknesses, but he also knows their love. This also means that no one in the Church will be able to blame others for the mistakes after the event when Jesus Christ forgave those mistakes for him, that is, after the sacrament of reconciliation.

The question, “Do you love me?” applies not only to Peter or those present in the Church but to all of us. The Lord Jesus wants to bind us all with love. We feel this from Peter’s words: “When you were younger, you girded yourself, you went where you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, another will gird you and tell you where you don’t want to go “(Jn 21:18). Simon Peter was a fierce man, and yet Jesus’ love bound him.
When a person is born, he forces everything from his parents. When a person is young, he also goes where he wants; he forgives a lot, I am sorry, he tolerates himself. But once the day comes, we will all have to go where we don’t really want to. However, man has free will; he can refuse and even say no to God. But if we have real love, we will never say that. Even today, Jesus asks each of us: Do you love me? I wish we could answer like Peter! “Lord, you know everything, you know very well that I love you” (Jn 21:17).

Our love professed this way binds our hands, our hearts, and our whole lives, and we only want to go where God wants us to be and what His will is. We know that it is the will of our heavenly Father to go and preach the Gospel and truly live according to it. Today, we should also be more aware of truly uniting as firmly as possible with the visible head of the Church — the pope, our bishops, and our priests — to create true unity in love, as the Lord Jesus taught us so emphatically. All believers connected with Rome, we pray for the Holy Father that, as the successor of Peter the Apostle, he may lead us happily to the port of eternity. Our devotion, our prayers – this is a powerful weapon against evil and a certain victory!

We do not expect a reward here on earth, as the unbelievers await, or here on earth. We are waiting for a reward in love, which we will contain completely only after meeting God in eternity.