3rd Sunday of Easter

Gospel Bullet Points (John 21:1-19)

• Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love?” Why three times? Because Peter denied the Lord three times. Now, with those questions, the Lord offers him the opportunity to recover and reaffirm his faith after the denial.
• Peter’s denial happened by a charcoal fire on a Holy Thursday. After that, Peter realized his unfaithfulness and found it hard to accept himself. Peter wept when he heard the cock crew.
• Now, he reaffirms his faith and love by a different charcoal fire on an Easter day as he says, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Three times he denied the Lord. Three times he now reaffirms his love.
• Today, Christ asks each of us the very same question he asked Peter: ‘Do you love Me?’ Do you love me . . . More than yourself? More than your possessions? More than your money? More than your worldly desires?
• And if your answer, like that of Peter, is “YES LORD, you know that I love you”, then you know in your heart what follows: “FOLLOW ME!’