Follow Me

May 9, 2008

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

He said to him the third time, "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. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." John 21:17-18

Piety

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050908.shtml

Choice. John teaches us about choice in Chapter 1 and what choices are in the grasp of Christians. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man's decision but of God. John 1: 12-13

The primary choice that we have is whether or not to accept and believe in Jesus. If we answer, “yes” to that choice, then we must let God’s will be done as Mary showed the way. We can not become children of God by our own choice, by natural generation nor by man’s decision unless we accept Jesus. Once we make the decision to follow Jesus, then the natural consequences become apparent and our choices become much more limited.

In Peter’s case, Jesus tells him that he will stretch out his hands and be lead where “you do not want to go” alluding to Peter’s death by crucifixion. In Paul’s case, we find the apostle imprisoned and awaiting trial and sentence.

Peter’s three-fold acceptance is meant as a counterbalance to the three denials Peter made of Christ the night Jesus was arrested. Once Peter accepts his role, Jesus then prescribes the duties that Peter must carry out in the church.

Action

Are we really prepared to accept the consequences that the Christian “Yes” will bring to our life? Are we prepared to answer yes when Jesus tells us to “Feed my lambs?” Are we ready to say yes when Jesus tells us to “Tend my sheep?” Are we prepared to answer yes when Jesus asks us to “Feed my sheep?”

For whom are you caring? How are you tending to the flock? If Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is no longer here, how can we, however imperfectly, serve as the Good Shepherd?

The Global Food Crisis is the latest example of ways that we can tend to the needs of the flock. According to an article on the CRS web site:

“The recent skyrocketing cost of food staples around the world is making national and international headlines. The crisis is prompting economists, agronomists, finance ministers and heads of state to come up with immediate and long-term solutions so that more widespread price increases are averted and increasing discontent is mitigated.

"What we are seeing is unprecedented," says Catholic Relief Services food aid expert Lisa Kuennen-Asfaw. "If immediate needs are not met, and if resources and policies supporting increased agricultural production are not put in place soon, we are heading for a cascade of hunger the world over."

Prices are increasing sharply in every region of the world for some of the most basic foodstuffs traded on international commodity markets. The price of wheat has doubled in less than a year, while other staples such as corn, maize and soy are trading at well above their 1990s levels. Rice, which is the staple food for about 3 billion people worldwide, has tripled in cost in the last 18 months. In some countries, prices for milk and meat have more than doubled.

A typical poor family in the developing world was living on $2 per day or less. They used to spend more than half their income on food. When prices suddenly increase by more than 30 percent, they go hungry. You can help by donating now directly or on the CRS website.