In this past weekend’s Gospel, we heard another story of Jesus interacting with His disciples after the resurrection. In the story, Jesus asks Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me” (John 21:16)? And Jesus asks him this three times. When reading this passage, we are reminded that Jesus is asking each of us the same question, “do you love me?”
When we think about our lives as Catholics, this is what it really comes down to. It can be easy to do things out of habit and because we know it’s what we’re supposed to do. To attend mass, to pray, and to volunteer in different ministries at church are all essential for us. We must ask ourselves- are we just checking off boxes and going through the motions or are we participating fully in our faith because we love Jesus? If we are in a place where we are showing up mostly out of obligation and because we know it’s the right thing to do, Jesus can use that and can increase our love for Him if we keep showing up with an open heart and a desire to be closer to Him.
My number one goal in life is to love Jesus and to live in a way that proves it. It is something I know I need to work on each day because sometimes I allow things to get in the way. We all must stay focused and remember the point of our lives. This gospel passage brings to mind something that St. John Paul II once shared. In a homily he gave to youth, he said, “Today Christ is asking each of you the same question: do you love me? He is not asking you whether you know how to speak to crowds, whether you can direct an organization or manage an estate. He is asking you to love him. All the rest will ensue.” This quote beautifully reminds us that our purpose is not found in what we achieve and our abilities, but rather, in our love for Jesus.
Jesus has a deep desire for us to love Him. We can always ask Jesus to help us increase our love for Him. My prayer for each of us is that we would hear Jesus asking us, “do you love me” and that our lives would be a reflection of that love!
Faith and The Good Stuff 