Peter becomes the head of the Church.

It is often said in the world of matter: Something for something. Although this would seem to be true in the realm of faith at first glance, this is not the case. One speaks of love in the realm of faith, and one speaks of egoism in the realm of matter.

Let us judge this for ourselves, thanks to the Gospel. After the Lord Jesus’ thrice-repeated question to Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” After confessing three times, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you, “… he challenged him: “Follow me!” (Jn. 21:15-19).
The Easter season is coming to an end. For several days, we have been paying attention to Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, which is his testamentary discourse, and today we have heard how the Lord Jesus appoints Peter as the head of the Church, as the supreme shepherd – the Pope.

Jesus first pointed out to his apostles the unity in faith and charity, and this is because this is to become the focal point in the person of Peter, to whom the Lord Jesus wants to entrust his Church, his flock, his sheep, that is to say, his faithful. Therefore, it is self-evident because the Lord Jesus does not examine Peter’s aptitude for this office, organizational talent, theological knowledge, or legal talent but asks him about his love for Him. Earlier, more often than not, the Lord Jesus emphasized in His teaching that the first among the apostles can only be the one who has the most courage to serve and the most love. He asks Peter, “.. do you love me?” (Jn 21:15). And he even repeats it three times, not because the old legal norm demanded validity of the threefold testimony of the witnesses, and not to emphasize the importance of the moment, but to point out to Peter that he had denied him three times. And he did this not to humble him but to show that he forgave him and, at the same time to warn him that in his responsible mission of leading the Church, he must not rely on himself alone, for that might lead to a new fall, as Peter could have been convinced, but to rely on God alone. That Peter understood the reproach of the Lord Jesus is felt after the third time the Lord Jesus asks him, when Peter answers, “Lord, you know all things, you know well that I love you!” (Jn. 21:17). We see that Peter no longer relies on himself but calls the Lord Jesus Himself as the witness of his love. This becomes a comfort to Peter but also to the other apostles. The Lord Jesus knows their weaknesses, but He also knows their passion. This also means that no one in the Church will be able to blame the faults of another after the event when Jesus Christ has forgiven these faults, that is, after the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The question: “Do you love me?” does not only concern Peter or the leaders in the Church but also concerns all of us. The Lord Jesus wants to bind us all together in love. We sense this from the words of Peter: “When you were younger, you girded yourself to go wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you stretch out your hands; another girds you and leads you where you do not want to go” (Jn 21:18). Simon Peter was a man of fierce temper, yet the love of Jesus bound him.
When a man is born, he forces things on his parents. When a man is young, he also goes wherever he pleases, forgives much, pardons much, and tolerates much. But the day will come that we will all have to go where we don’t much want to go. However, man has free will; he can refuse, even say no to God. Although, if we have true love, we will never say this. Even today, Jesus asks each one of us: do you love me? May we answer like Peter! “Lord, you know everything, you know very well that I love you!” (Jn 21:17).

Our love thus confessed binds our hands, hearts, and lives, and we only want to go where God wants us to go and what his will is. We know that our heavenly Father’s will is for us to go and proclaim the Gospel and live by it. Today, we should also be more conscious that we should unite ourselves as firmly as possible with the visible head of the Church, the Pope, with our bishops and priests to establish the true unity in love that the Lord Jesus taught us so strongly. All the faithful united to Rome pray for the Holy Father that, as the successor of Peter the Apostle, he may lead us happily to the harbor of eternity. Our devotion and prayers are a powerful weapon against evil and a sure victory!

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