Do You Love Jesus More Than Everything Else?


Sunday 5th May 2019. Read Acts 5:27-32, Psalm 30, Revelation 5:11-14 and John 21:1-19


_*“When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15)*_

Last Sunday, we read about how Jesus appeared to the Apostles first to give them Peace and to make them ministers of the sacrament of Penance. Up till this time, the Apostles were full of doubt and were not sure if Jesus had truly risen from the dead not minding the fact that Jesus even ate food in their presence. Thomas who was not with them at the first apparition refused to believe and for this Jesus appeared a second time so that Thomas can get a chance to see with his eyes and touch his side and his hands.

Today, Jesus made his third appearance to the gathering of the Eleven Apostles. This time around, it was on a note of disappointment. The Apostles led by Peter seemed to have forgotten quickly the task ahead of them, it was as though they were still doubting if Jesus really rose from the dead, they attempted to return to fishing; a profession which was no doubt, was the love of their lives since it brought them a sense of security and financial freedom and a means of livelihood.

While our Gospel passage presents the Apostles on a rather disappointing note, our first reading presents a totally different picture. The same persons who were so unsure about Jesus to the extent of returning to fishing have become so bold that they were determined to look at the Jewish authorities in their faces and accuse them of killing Jesus. The same persons who sought security in fishing have not only abandoned the trade but were not rejoicing for the privilege of suffering dishonour for Jesus.

What was responsible for the profound transformation in these Apostles? How did they move from being doubtful of Jesus to becoming ready to die for Him? This question touches on the very root of what it means to be a disciple or a follower of Jesus and it reveals why even though there are millions of Churches/Christians today, the true Disciples of Christ are very few. In truth, the difference between a mere churchgoer and a true disciple lies in how each of us answers the questions Jesus asked Peter in today’s Gospel passage. This brings us to our lessons for today.

*One: If You Love Jesus, You Will Obey Him.*
Before the arrest of Jesus, Peter was just like most of us, he bragged about his love for Jesus saying: “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” (Matthew 26:33) In fact, John tells us that Peter boasted to Jesus: “Lord, I will lay down my life for you.” (John 13:37). How often have we boasted like Peter only to turn around and betray Him? How often do we sing the song: “Jesus, I love you, all I have is yours” when in truth, we have no iota of love for Jesus.

If we are honest with ourselves, we would admit that our love for Jesus is not genuine. A simple proof is what Jesus himself said in John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” While we increase daily in sin and evil, our churches are packed full of miracle seekers who treat God more like an ATM machine than a true lover. We are here for the huge catch of fish, (the abundance, wealth and prosperity) not for Jesus.

*Two: You Cannot Work for Jesus If He is Not the Love of Your Life.*
Peter had already been told by Jesus in Luke 5:10 “Henceforth you will be catching men” after the great episode of a huge catch of fish despite having toiled all night fruitlessly. That he had the guts to return to fishing after the resurrection of Jesus proved beyond doubt that fishing (making money) was the love of His life. Each time I decide to do something bad or evil just because I want to make money, I also prove that money or riches is my true love. I may claim to be working for Jesus but so long as making money is my top priority, I am only deceiving myself.

Jesus was obviously disappointed seeing Peter and the other disciples back to their former trade that night. How disappointed Jesus feels when we who claim to be God’s ministers begin to delve into businesses instead of devoting ourselves entirely to the work of saving souls!!! Being God and Master of the Universe, Jesus arranged it in such a way that they toiled all night and caught nothing once again. Then in the morning, Jesus called out like a stranger by the seashore and asked them to try again. This time around, there was such a huge catch that the disciples immediately remembered a similar experience and confessed: “It is the Lord.” They knew at once that only Jesus could make such a huge catch happen so close to the shore at that time of the day.

When Jesus saw that Peter’s true love was fishing, Jesus had to ask him directly thrice if Peter loved Him. “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” In other words, do you love me more than this huge catch of fish you have just caught? Do you love me more than all the riches in the world? These are the questions Jesus is asking us today. Do you love me to the extent that you can abandon everything else for me? Do you love me even more than your own life? Are you willing to die for me? No wonder, when Peter answered “yes” three times, Jesus immediately predicted how Peter would be martyred for the sake of the Gospel.

Dear friends, if you say that you want to work for Jesus and you are not willing to give up everything else in this world for Jesus, you are only deceiving yourself.

*Three: The Minister is Essentially Called to Feed the Sheep.*
It is interesting to note that every time Peter answered, “Yes, I love you.” Jesus responded: “Feed my lambs… Tend my Sheep… Feed my Sheep.” Permit me to be very blunt here. If we do not love Jesus more than private jets, latest cars, palatial mansions, fat bank accounts, gold and jewellery, exotic fashion, luxurious holidays abroad, then we cannot feed or tend for Jesus’ sheep and lambs. If Jesus is not the love of our lives, we just end up feeding on the sheep, slaughtering the lambs and milking them dry which is exactly what we see happening in our society today.

It is because we have no love for Jesus that we wail and moan when we are being sent to work in the villages and rural areas. We lobby to work in the “juicy” parishes where we attend to the rich and mighty because they know how to feed us while we run away from the villages, from places where the lambs have nothing to offer us.

*Four: God Always Gives Us a Second Chance.”
The three times Jesus asked Peter if he loved him perfectly correspond with the three times Peter denied Jesus. Basically, Jesus was giving Peter today a second chance, an opportunity to undo his past mistakes. Just as Peter’s denials took place while he was warming himself beside a fire, Jesus made a charcoal fire by the shore of the sea to really replay the event.

A first time, Jesus asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Before a little girl, Peter initially said “No.” Now, Jesus gives him a chance to say “Yes, Lord; I love you”. A second time, Jesus asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Before a young man, Peter said “No” for fear of losing his life, now he had an opportunity to say “Yes.” A third time, Jesus asked him again “do you love me? Before some bystanders, Peter swore that he had never seen Jesus before, now He would have to face Jesus and answer “Yes Lord, I love you.”

There is something known as restitution. When you steal something, you cannot simply ask God to forgive you, you must also return what you have stolen. Like Jesus did with Peter, God always gives us a chance for restitution. No matter what you have done in the past, you have a chance today to undo it, a chance to repent, a chance to make amends.

*Conclusion*
Dear brothers and sisters, let us stop saying that we love God if we do not mean what we say and let us realize that the loving of God demands giving up everything for Him; our time, our resources, our obedience and even our very lives.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, deepen my love for you and grant that I may not let my desire for riches come between me and you. Amen.

Happy Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Third Sunday of Easter. Year C. Bible Study: Acts 5:27-32, Psalm 30, Revelation 5:11-14 and John 21:1-19).

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