Paul strove to stay close to the Lord, He saw God’s faithfulness and protection.
He experienced Jesus’ love and mercy.

He saw all the people who had never heard the gospel and longed to share it with them.

St. Charles Lwanga & Companions, martyrs

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

Acts 25:13b-21

As they were to stay

There several days, Festus told the king about Paul’s case and said to him,

 “We have here a man whom Felix left as a prisoner.   When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews accused him and asked me to sentence him.  I told them that it is not the custom of the Romans to hand over a man without giving him an opportunity to defend himself in front of his accusers.   So they came and I took my seat without delay on the tribunal and sent for the man.

 When the accusers had the floor, they did not accuse him of any of the crimes that I was led to think he had committed;   instead they quarreled with him about religion and about a certain Jesus who has died but whom Paul asserted to be alive.   I did not know what to do about this case, so I asked Paul if he wanted to go to Jerusalem to be tried there.   But Paul appealed to be judged by the emperor. So I ordered that he be kept in custody until I send him to Caesar.”

 

Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20ab

The Lord has established his throne in heaven.

 

  ＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

John 21:15-19

After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Si­mon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” And Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

 A second time Jesus said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” And Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Look after my sheep.”   And a third time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

Jesus then said, “Feed my sheep.   Truly, I say to you, when you were young you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will put a belt around you and lead you where you do not wish to go.”

 Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And he added, “Follow me.”

 

Gospel Reflection：

Love with Holes

In the “You know that I love you” confession of Peter, there is more than a confession of love - there is the confession of love’s failings as well. At the successive repetition of the question by Jesus, Peter’s confession reveals a deepening awareness of the imperfections of his love; and at the third time, he would preface it thus: “Lord, you know everything….”

Peter knows that his master knew that his love had holes. His was a love which, even when in boasted of its fidelity in the light of the day, would grow cold feet in the dark of the night. Peter now realizes that to love as his Master loved, he must let the Master do the loving through him. This confession of holes in his love was enough for the Master to soon pour in his Spirit of love into him. Peter’s love would then grow feet and wings.