Something We Can Do As We Wait
April 23, 2025
Fr. John Riccardo
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.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the 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. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me” (John 21:15-19).
Since the Holy Father’s passing early Easter Monday the media has been filled with commentary on his pontificate and speculation about the next pope. Who that man is only God knows as of right now. It can be tempting to think that, except for the Cardinals who will soon gather for the conclave to elect a new successor of Peter, we’re helpless and can only sit back and wait. I think, however, there is much that you and I can do in these days when the Church commends to almighty God the mortal remains of Pope Francis.
First and foremost, of course, in these days of mourning we are to pray for the repose of the soul of Francis. May the Lord both have mercy on him and reward him for all the good he has done.
We can also, I think, be helping prepare the mind and heart of the man who will take his place much as various people in the Vatican are preparing the mortal remains of Pope Francis for burial. While there are many ways to pray for him, the Lord has placed the above passage from the ending of John’s Gospel to guide my prayer.
This is the final conversation in the Gospels between Jesus and Peter. As is well known, at this charcoal fire Jesus asks Peter three times a single question. The threefold repetition of the question, and Peter’s response, wondrously “undoes” Peter’s threefold denial that happened just a few weeks before at another charcoal fire in John 18. I think we can rightly understand that this conversation not only took place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee two thousand years ago but is happening right now between Jesus and whoever that man is who will next wear the Fisherman’s Ring.
What strikes me especially is the qualifier Jesus puts in the question: “Do you love Me more than these?” What does that mean? I don’t think Jesus is asking Peter if he loves Him more than Andrew, James, John and the other disciples gathered nearby love Jesus. Jesus wants to know if Peter loves Jesus more than he loves anything else. Do you love Me more than the boats, the fish, your career, your reputation, what people think of you, your own agenda, your future, your say about your life — everything?
This is what I’m praying for as we await the news of the next pope: singleheartedness. Freedom from all idols. The grace to truly love Jesus more than what others are going to say or write about him. And they are going to say and write much!
In these Easter days it is good to remember that Peter, and his successors, are above all witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, His triumph over Sin and Death, and the fullest revelation of God’s love for us. This truth, more than any other, is what the world has always needed but perhaps especially needs now in the midst of so much anxiety, fear, hostility and division.
After the threefold question to Peter, Jesus tells him that he is going to “stretch out [his] hands” and go where he does not want to go. That expression, “stretch out your hands”, was a Greek euphemism for crucifixion. It was a call to die to self. The call on whoever sits in the Chair of Peter is still the same. May the Lord give this man courage and wisdom for all that he will be faced with. But may He give him even more an undivided heart that renounces all idols and loves Jesus “more than these.”
Image by Jeanne Stevenson, Cards For His Glory
ACTS XXIX Prayer Intentions
April 2025
Please join us in praying for the repose of the soul of Pope Francis and for his successor.
For Archbishop Edward Weisenburger, our new shepherd for the Archdiocese of Detroit. Please continue to pray for him and the entire archdiocese in this time of transition and his leadership in the years to come. St. Anne, pray for us.
For our Board of Directors meeting this month, that our time together would be a time of gratitude, fellowship and an opportunity to share with them what God is doing in the mission. Please pray for all our Board members, for they are a gift to us.
Please pray for all those who partner with us to help renew the human family of God, both in our country and across the world. May God richly bless those who both pray for us and financially support the mission.
Please pray for all those running The Rescue Project, that lives will be transformed so as to go out and to be agents of recreation in this world that God loves.
For God’s protection upon Fr. John Riccardo and the ACTS XXIX family.
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