For daily readings, see http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050908.shtml
St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, pray for us!
The obedience asked by our Lord of Peter is an obedience born of love and forgiveness. Jesus issues a direct call and challenge to Peter at the end of today's Gospel. If Peter is going to feed and to tend the followers of Jesus, then he will be led by them to a place he does not want to go, in imitation of the Lord who prayed that the cup of suffering would pass Him by, but followed the will of the Father nonetheless. In the same way, there will be many times when Peter will want to do something other than to tend the flock of Jesus, and something other than to follow the Lord's will for his life. Reminded of the love that He has for Christ, however, Peter will be the Rock whose faith will not fail. Indeed, he will be the one to strengthen the faith of his brothers, and he still does this today through the ministry of his successor, the Pope. Note that Jesus' command that Peter feed His sheep is not a precondition to his receiving Jesus' love. No, quite the opposite, it is the reception of Jesus' love despite Peter's unworthiness that is the precondition for Peter's becoming strong enough to obediently follow Jesus' will, no matter if that will takes Peter where he would rather not go.
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