“Do you love me?” Jesus asks this of Peter in John’s gospel on the vigil of the feast of Saint Peter and Paul. Than Jesus says, “tend to one another.”
Today Jesus asks us “do you love me?” Like Peter he asks us three times.
“Michael, do you love me?”
How do I answer? Probably with some uncertainty. Maybe, I say “you know, I want to love you.” I feel a bit intimidated. Yet, I trust that Jesus knows all my limitations and I am able to say “Yes, Jesus I love you.” Whoo! I got that out. I really mean it. I’ve let myself be opened up enough to tell Jesus of my love.
As I sit in the wonder of this love expressed, Jesus asks again “Michael, do you love me?”
Uh oh. Now with certainty or hubris I say “of course I love you.” Of course? I need to acknowledge my doubts as well as my faith. My fear as well as my trust. This second question is not a test. Rather, it is an invitation to a deeper commitment to this question of love. My second yes is accepting the challenge of this commitment.
And now Jesus asks for a third time, “Michael, do you love me?”
In this third question all the hope and humiliation that I feel about the call to love is brought to light. To love God is to love love. Love is to live Mercy, compassion and forgiveness. This is the question that I am asked to live a new each day.
So it seems that Peter’s question is our question also. And as with Peter I will respond imperfectly. Or as Richard Rohr reminds us the Christian journey is three steps forward, two steps backwards and three steps forward again.