Lands of the Rehabilitation
May 4, 2025 | third Sunday of Easter, Year C
John 21: 1-14
Dear friends, Easter is a time of restoration and rehabilitation. The power of divine mercy is the actual source of our rehabilitation. Last Sunday, we saw the Risen Christ’s rehabilitation of the faith of Thomas, the apostle. This Sunday, he rehabilitates Peter who needed forgiveness not only from the Lord but also, he needed the grace to forgive himself after what happened on the night Jesus was betrayed (John 18: 15- 27). Although Peter was a very sincere disciple who was ready to die for Jesus, he could not escape the trap of the weakness of the flesh. Jesus himself had warned him earlier in the garden to pray because
“the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Mt. 26:41)
Peter’s experience of guilt can be ours
We can all imagine that the pain of Peter’s denial stayed with Peter even after the resurrection. The fire of coals that was there at the night of the betrayal is also there today at the appearance of Jesus on the lake of Tiberias. This represented Peter’s failures, his shame and his mess. We all have those moments in our lives. We all have people, places and situations that we mess up with and bring us so much shame, guilt and regret. Usually, this brings up a lot of pain in us. Jesus is coming back to Peter to rehabilitate him and reassures him with his own words:
“My grace is sufficient.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9).
Jesus comes to heal us in the darkest place of our regret and weakness. In our times, our guilt and great regret, the Risen Christ rehabilitates, recreates and renews us.
Invitation to a conversation with Jesus
In the process of rehabilitation of Peter’s joy, personality and vocation, Jesus invites him to one-on-one dialogue after breakfast. This is the meaning of love. This is the meaning of Easter, a place or a land of beginning again where all mistakes and all sins are forgiven. This is the land where all brokenness is restored. In his conversation with Peter, Jesus ask him three times, just as he continues to ask us every day, the most important question of our existence:
“Do you love me?”
Jesus is asking of us as he asked of Peter a total sacrificial type of love; a love that is giving without counting the cost; a love that forgives without counting how many times; a love that is laying down his life for his friends. It is only through such a love that we could be able to follow Jesus as he says:
“Follow me”, “Feed my lambs”, and “tend my sheep”.
Living the Gospel this Week. "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church" (Mt. 16: 18)
This Sunday offers us an opportunity to reflect on the Ministry of St. Peter as the Bishop of Rome. The "ministerium petrinum" or the Chair of St. Peter, is the service proper to the Bishop of Rome, which is exercised in collaboration with the college of all Bishops. As the Vicar of Christ, the Pope acts as Christ's representative, in guiding, governing and sanctifying the Holy Catholic and apostolic Church on earth. The Pope has the responsibility to preserve the deposit of Faith and doctrines and morals handed unto the Church by Christ. Let's pray for a faithful and dynamic Vicar of Christ in our Church.
Prayer: Lord, of all wisdom, send your Holy Spirit to guide the Cardinals in their choice. May they select a Pope who will be a faithful witness to your truth and a shepherd of Your Church in the name of Jesus, Amen.
Fr. Georges BIDZOGO sac