Wounded, Worthy, Follow Me
This week we spend some time with Peter.
- Strong man – fisherman – Jesus called him Peter, Cephas (Ka fas) in Aramaic or Petros in Greek-- Rock
- Impulsive – didn’t always know what to say – but said it anyway “Let’s build two tents here” (Transfiguration) “You’ll never wash my feet…then not only my feet but my hands and head as well” (Last Supper)
- And yet, at other times, he nailed it! When Jesus talked about the Eucharist – about giving us his body and blood in a sacred way so that he could remain with us always…and many of the disciples said, this is too difficult to understand – and walked away from Jesus, (John 6) he turned to the 12 and asked, “Do you want to leave also?” It was Peter who answered – “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.”
- In other places in Scripture, Peter said of Jesus, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”
- He heard what Jesus said and watched what Jesus did – that’s what it means to be a disciple – to spend time with the master, to learn from him and to become like him…
- Walked on water – sort of, until he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to worry about how he was doing this…then he began to sink!
- Peter was there when Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law.
- And now, today, Peter gets this miraculous catch – every fisherman’s dream – 153 fish!
- But he realizes that there is something more important….Jesus! And he jumps in the water to get to Jesus.
- It’s the Lord!
Peter has an encounter with Jesus today
- denied Jesus.
- was not able to save him in the garden
- ran and hid
- didn't believe the women at first
Peter had wounds
- And yet, today Peter stood his ground
- he was beaten for teaching about Jesus, but he stood his ground.
How did this happen? In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals Peter.
- Peter, do you love me?
- 3 times - once for each denial - once for each time he let Jesus down.
- Peter, feed my lambs – take care of the little ones – those here in the parish, those in our mission field and those in our own families.
- Peter, tend my sheep – care for the people of God – see that their needs are met.
- Peter, feed my sheep – feed their deeper hungers, help them find what is
more satisfying than bread alone
The encounter that Peter had with Jesus, described in today’s Gospel, healed Peter and strengthened him for the mission that Jesus had for him to do – to be the “Rock” upon which Jesus would build his Church.
In the face of the Sanhedrin – the governing body that turned Jesus over to the Romans to have him executed – “Peter and the Apostles said in reply, ‘We must obey God rather than men.”
And then they laid it out – You killed Jesus – but God raised him up! We witnessed this!
Knowing this to be the truth – how could Peter and the apostles not teach about Jesus? How could they not help others to understand just what happened here? The Messiah had come! The coming of the Messiah changes everything!
For speaking the truth to power – Peter and the apostles were flogged and then released. It was then that they rejoiced for having been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of Jesus!
And they kept speaking about Jesus and sharing the good news. They had to! All of the Apostles, except John, were martyred! They give up their lives to witness to the Risen Lord. They knew it was true! They couldn’t do anything other than testify to the truth. And after the Apostles, the message lived on – through others who believed and continue to believe all they way down to us!
How did Peter find the strength to lead the Apostles and all of the disciples who would follow in speaking the truth?
Peter was wounded – but Jesus healed him with mercy.
He wants to do the same with each one of us today.
Who of us have not turned away from Jesus? Have not denied him when we had the chance to stand up for him?
We are all wounded in some way…Jesus knows this, and he comes to us today to bring us his mercy and love.
He brings us not fish cooked on a charcoal fire, not a shore lunch, but himself in the form of bread and wine – his very body, blood, soul and divinity.
This is my body, broken for you, take and eat…
This is the cup of my blood, given for you, take and drink…
Come…be healed. Come…be strengthened. Come…receive Jesus.
For our second graders, they will receive Jesus for the first time next Sunday. This is such a special time for all of those receiving their first communion next Sunday – but every Mass can be special for all of us For us we might be receiving Jesus for the hundred and first time, or the 2964th time.
. If we realize what is happening today – Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the King of the Universe, is coming to us today, to make his home with us, to be with us in the most intimate way, so that we will never be alone, so that we might be transformed.
Peter was transformed. The Peter we see in the first reading was not the Peter who denied Jesus and ran and hid!
Jesus transformed Peter and he wants to do the same with each one of us.
We may not feel worthy, but Jesus makes us worthy. We pray, “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul will be healed.”
Let’s open our hearts. Let’s let Jesus transform us…so that we can go forth and tell others – the Messiah has come…Jesus is risen…Alleluia!