The Lord publicly proclaimed it: ‘I’, he said, ‘have prayed for you Peter that your faith may not fail, and you, once being converted, must confirm your brothers’… For this reason the Faith of the Apostolic seat has never failed even during turbulent times, but has remained whole and unharmed, so that the privilege of Peter continues to be unshaken. —Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)
Pondering the first stage of love: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” These? Worldly pleasures & allurements. Selfish ambition. Its not what is in the trophy case, or the case itself, but the One who already achieved the win.
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” – Lambs? Lamb is a young sheep. Pondering the souls not yet in full mature faith. To nurture and teach. But what to teach? And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.” Never reaching back into the worldly allurements but seeing that what is above. Feeding the Spiritually nutritious foods, that being the Word of God and not just gobbling it down and rushing off to do what is fun and exciting to the eye, but teaching how to gnaw on the Word and chewing it over and over until it become pliable and the flavor is released. In prayer, while praying, do I rush through or do I pray slowly, allowing the words to penetrate into the deepest depths of my being? DO I hear what is being said from the Sacred Heart of my Lord or do I argue with the Word? Do I seek to allow Love to deepen within or do I seek to teach the Lover when the Lover already knows what I need?
He then said to Simon Peter a second time,“Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”
Tend? To tend means to behave in a particular way. What one sees, one does. What behavior of a soul consists of is the characteristics of the soul in living the life in the Spirit internally and externally. Externally being that of piety and the continued good behaviors, not seeking to justify bad behavior for self gain but living in Truth but for the benefit of the other. Sacrifice. Act, live, think, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”. Put on the new man and cast away all that you once were. Why? Because True Love commands it. Not for fear, but for the sake of Love.
What is a sheep? Older than a lamb. Submissive. Giving in to Love and not being hard headed.
He said to him the third time,“Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a 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.”
To feed is to supply. To supply souls with what he has been given in Love, for Love. Not only in Word but in Deed and Spirit. Not only physically, but Spiritually and radiating it to the flock from within the heart that is joined to His completely. Agape. 100%
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s maids came along.
67 Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”
68 But he denied it saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” So he went out into the outer court. [Then the cock crowed.]
69 The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.”
70 Once again he denied it. A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more, “Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”
71 He began to curse and to swear, “I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”
72 And immediately a cock crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.” He broke down and wept.
Mark 14 66:72
For the past few days, a week even, my soul has been full of joy. Joy was missing for most of my life. The crushing darkness that tried to over take me, has indeed, fled. I have a funny feeling this is the reason…
“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”
The Bones Of St. Peter Displayed By Vatican For The First Time
I don’t expect anyone to believe me, but I seen one “reason” that has had me questioning my faith, my desire to serve our Lord and a LOT of other things, disappear very early this morning. My conversion back to our Lord, came directly from my being anchored in the Catholic Church through baptism. Although unknowingly I had left the Church through my actions, I never left the “faith”. Anyway, it’s not what has taken place in the “personal revelations” that matter, nor in the fact of what has taken place to me because of them. It’s where I am now, where it all has led me to be. Back home in the Catholic Church, in the “pasture where I belong” with the Good Shepherd.
For more photos and the full story: The Bones Of St. Peter Displayed By Vatican For The First Time
Jesus Christ is my King, indeed.
“Jesus speaks only a word of forgiveness, not of condemnation; whenever anyone finds the courage to ask for this forgiveness, the Lord does not let such a petition go unheard. Jesus’ promise to the good thief gives us great hope: it tells us that God’s grace is always greater than the prayer which sought it. The Lord always grants more than what he has been asked: you ask him to remember you, and he brings you into his Kingdom! Let us ask the Lord to remember us, in the certainty that by his mercy we will be able to share his glory in paradise.” – Pope Francis
3 So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; 5he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. 6 When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, 7 and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. 8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. 9 For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned home. – John, chapter 20 3-10
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
Yesterday when I arrived at Church to dress the Altar for Easter, I had gotten there very early and spent, as I normally do, most of my time in prayer while preparations were taking place. While pondering St. Mary Magdalene and placing myself in her shoes, (Read here: Empty Tomb – Pope Francis Homily Added) our Lord filed me with great joy being the first one there to prepare for the celebration. After thirty minutes the first helper arrived. t was one of our maintenance men and the first thing he said to me was: “I ran all the way here!”
I smiled and laughed so hard and asked him, “Are you Saint Peter?” Then explained to him what I had been pondering. It filled me with awe.
He is risen indeed!
Acts 10:40-43
God raised up Jesus on the third day and granted that he be seen, not by all, but only by such witnesses as had been chosen beforehand by God – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and to bear witness that he is the one set apart by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets testify, saying that everyone who believes in him has forgiveness of sins through his name.
A post for my Protestant friends as to why the “Pope” is so important. Catholics too! Who do not understand why the Pope is the “Voice” and not the vice.
The BEST explanation I have ever heard, outside of the Holy Bible was given by Father Robert Barron in the video below. I ask my readers to watch this and understand how important the Pope is in this world.