“I want to be contaminated by your holiness.” Huh? I looked around. Who was she talking to? Oh no! This woman was looking at me. Bo and I were walking in a mall when a middle-aged woman asked for a selfie. As Bo spoke to a second person who greeted him, this woman said, “Your marriage inspires me so much.” Then she said that line that made me cringe.

“Oh my gosh, I’m not holy!” I said, holding her hand, almost pleading with her. It’s because I know my sins. I know how often I lose my temper with Bo and my sons. That’s why I take  comfort in this story where Jesus asked, “Peter, do you love Me?” Because I see myself in the embarrassed Apostle. But I haven’t just fallen three times but three thousand times.

Sometimes, I wonder if God will say, “Marowe, it’s over.” But every single time, I don’t hear those words. Instead, I hear Jesus whisper to my heart, “Marowe, do you love Me?” And I cry at His endless mercy for me.

Friend, do you hear His voice in your heart asking you the same question?

Marowe Sanchez (marowesanchez@yahoo.com)

reflect

Have you failed recently? Pause. Be still. And listen to His gentle voice in your heart.

Jesus, thank You for Your love despite my unworthiness. I love You.

Saint Norbert, bishop, pray for us.

Paul is accused of breaking some of the Jewish religious laws. But doesn’t it seem unusual for the Roman authorities to handle a matter regarding Jewish law? This is what happened to Paul, to Jesus, and probably to many martyrs of the Early Church. Fear and jealousy overcome the Jews and their positions in Judaism are weakened by the new Christian sect. They want to hold onto their power.

¹³ King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea on a visit to Festus. ¹⁴ Since they spent several days there, Festus referred Paul’s case to the king, saying, “There is a man here left in custody by Felix. ¹⁵ When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation. ¹⁶ I answered them that it was not Roman practice to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge. ¹⁷ So when they came together here, I made no delay; the next day I took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought in. ¹⁸ His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.  ¹⁹ 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. ²⁰ Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy, I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem and there stand trial on these charges. ²¹ And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody for the Emperor’s decision, I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20

R: The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

¹ Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. ² Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (R) ¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. ¹² As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. (R) ¹⁹ The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. ²⁰ Bless the Lord, all you his angels, you mighty in strength, who do his bidding. (R) 

Gospel | John 21:15-19

Jesus tests Peter to whom He is about to entrust tremendous authority and responsibility. A true leader never exercises power for his own benefit. Instead, he always seeks to be a servant to his constituency. The way to judge a person’s capacity to be a good leader is to look at who benefits the most from his exercise of power. If it is his friends and relatives, he will be judged harshly by God. Like Jesus, a leader’s first concern is the poor and the powerless. 

Gospel Acclamation

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you.

¹⁵ 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.” ¹⁶ He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ 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.” ¹⁹ He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” 

Read the Bible in one year! Read 1 KINGS 6 - 8 today.

It was a power breakfast. The Risen Lord did not only reveal Himself to His disciples. He also empowered them with a substantial meal of fish and bread. The event happened right at the locus or seat of power for a fisherman like Peter was. He was in his familiar stomping ground, by the side of the lake, from where he earned his keep.

But the promising breakfast on the shore proved to be empowering in more ways than just one. The unsuspecting Peter was in for a big surprise. His locus of power that was his fishing ground turned out to be a further jump-off point for a different form of power, but power all the same.

Last year, a priest-friend shared a joke on his Facebook wall. After officiating a wedding, a lady told him, *“Kawawa naman kayo, Father. Mesa na lang ang hinahalikan ninyo!” (You’re pitiful, Father. You kiss only the table.) Not to be outdone in wittiness, the priest retorted, “Hindi ah! Marami pa—the rosary, the Bible, stola, etc.!” (Of course not! I kiss a lot—the rosary, the Bible, the stole, etc.) I joined the fray and wrote, “Don’t forget the feet on Holy Thursday!” 

Peter, already powerful as a successful fisherman and a small-time entrepreneur (he had his own boat!), just got a power boost. And all he needed to do was pass the test of a thrice-repeated question: “Do you love Me more than these?” But his quick responses of “Yes, Lord, I do love You” was not what made him pass with flying colors. That was to come much later, when he, like his Master, would be crucified, and in his case, upside down.

Who says that power has to do only with lording it over others? What gave us the idea that power is equated with the ways we can outdo others? The most powerful figures I know are not the likes of Alexander the Great, Hitler, and so many other potentates. One shining example was St. Jose Sanchez del Rio. He was only 14 years old, powerless by worldly standards, but showed what the power of faith and service could do.

Peter was given the power to serve: “Tend My sheep; feed My lambs.” And he showed it till the very end! 

Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

reflection question

How do you exercise power in your own milieu?

Whatever power I have, Lord, comes from You. May I use it to serve Your people. Amen.

Today, I pray for: ________________________________________