Enacting Love and Life in the Spirit By Beth DeCristofaro
(Paul’s) accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected. Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who had died but who Paul claimed was alive. (Acts 25:18-19)
After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” … “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a 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. (John 21:15, 17)
Piety
“Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” May I be open to the promptings of the Spirit to enact the gift of life through my life.
Study
Oh, my goodness, I so often find it hard to forgive. Wrongdoing, little nagging hurts, or exasperations seem hard to let loose. Whether it is someone else or myself, being offended by or failing somebody, they can live with us, even hurt us for years. I can imagine that Peter, thrilled at speaking to Jesus alive in the upper room, walked around a little embarrassed, head hung, because he was so devastatingly aware of denying Jesus. In this reading, John shows us a parallel to that betrayal scene at a charcoal fire in Pilates’ courtyard by placing Jesus, domestically cooking, at a charcoal fire on the beach. Three times Jesus gives Peter a chance to repeat those denials, and three times Peter instead recommits himself to loving Jesus.
Jesus’ forgiveness of Peter’s earlier rejection is incredible! Jesus designates Peter to care for his sheep. Jesus is establishing a new kind of community. Fr. Thomas Stegman describes “What the disciples are to do in being sent by Jesus is to live the type of love that Jesus taught at the Last Supper, this new commandment of love that’s emblemized by the... or symbolized by the foot- washing, to continue to reveal the love of God and invite people to accept that revelation and become part of his family.”[i]
In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ death is revealed as victory not defeat. Fr. Stegman again points to “the extent of the love that (Jesus is) going to show forth on the cross, but also as a symbol of the type of love that he invites his followers to enact for one another as witnesses to Christ’s love. And then that lengthy teaching about the gift of the Spirit and encouraging the disciples to open their hearts to this gift, that Jesus’ way of the cross is not a defeat but actually a victory, and is going to enact the gift of life through the gift of the Spirit.”[ii]
Action
In what ways do I enact the gift of life by paying attention to the promptings of the Spirit? Does my life point to and spread the love of God or love of myself?
Illustration: James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Meal of Our Lord and the Apostles (Repas de Notre-Seigneur et des apôtres), 1886-1894. Brooklyn Museum
[i] Thomas D. Stegman, S.J., Boston College, SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY ONLINE CROSSROADS 1 The Gospel of John, Week 4 www.bc.edu/crossroads Transcript of The Gospel of John Chapters 18-21
[ii] Ibid.
No comments:
Post a Comment