Friday May 21

SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER

 

SHEPHERDS IN THE CHURCH

                                      

Introduction

Many today refuse to accept the shepherd image which God attributes to himself (for example, Ez 24), which Christ claims for himself and which he gave to the apostles. Are the faithful no more than a docile sheep? Are the pope, bishops and priests who “dominate in the name of truth, repress in the name of morality, and keep ‘the flock’ infantile in the name of God’s goodness?” (Bernard Feuillet, Journal de la Vie 78, p. 25) Not if they understand their mission of service and self-giving. Not if they are shepherds in Christ’s way. Not if they are agents and centers of unity for their people.

 

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
you have appointed shepherds in your Church
to speak your word to us
and to build community in your name.
We pray to you today:
May they be shepherds like your Son
who look for those who have lost the way,
bring back the stray, bandage the wounded
and make the weak strong.
May they all be ministers
of your tender love and service,
as Jesus was, your Son and our Lord.

 

Reading 1: ACTS 25:13B-21

King Agrippa and Bernice arrived in Caesarea
on a visit to Festus.
Since they spent several days there,
Festus referred Paul’s case to the king, saying,
“There is a man here left in custody by Felix.
When I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews
brought charges against him and demanded his condemnation.
I answered them that it was not Roman practice
to hand over an accused person before he has faced his accusers
and had the opportunity to defend himself against their charge.
So when they came together here, I made no delay;
the next day I took my seat on the tribunal
and ordered the man to be brought in.
His accusers stood around him,
but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected.
Instead they had some issues with him about their own religion
and about a certain Jesus who had died
but who Paul claimed was alive.
Since I was at a loss how to investigate this controversy,
I asked if he were willing to go to Jerusalem
and there stand trial on these charges.
And when Paul appealed that he be held in custody
for the Emperor’s decision,
I ordered him held until I could send him to Caesar.”

 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20AB

(19a) The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the LORD, all you his angels,
you mighty in strength, who do his bidding.
R. The Lord has established his throne in heaven.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

Alleluia: JN 14:26

Alleluia, alleluia.
The Holy Spirit will teach you everything
and remind you of all I told you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: JN 21:15-19

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them,
he said to Simon Peter,
“Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.”
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.”
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.
Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger,
you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted;
but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands,
and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.”
He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God.
And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

 

Intercessions

–   Lord, we pray to you for your shepherds in the Church. They are our shepherds. May their love overflow on us, their people, we pray:

–   Lord, that love may be the key to the living faith of the Church, both in us the faithful and in our leaders, we pray:

–   Lord, let the Holy Spirit fill us with a compassionate love for the poor and the weak among us, we pray:

 

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord, our God,
in these signs of bread and wine,
your Son comes among us to serve us
and to unite us.
We pray you for those in the Church
whom you have chosen
for a ministry of service.
Human and vulnerable as they are,
may they have the strength
to serve and to unite
and to have for their pastoral concerns.
May the building up of the communities of faith and love

be their pastoral concern.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.

 

Prayer after Communion

Our God, you care for us
through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Shepherd,
Let the Holy Spirit inspire and strengthen
those who have a pastoral task in your Church.
Help them to bring out the best in people
and to make them all in the community
responsible for making the Church
the sign of Jesus’ presence among people,
that all may recognize him
as our Lord, now and for ever.

 

Blessing

“Do you love me? Do you let me lead you?” This is a question Jesus asks us, weak and fickle people. And may our answer be in words and deeds a wholehearted “yes.” May Almighty God confirm you in your love and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

 

Commentary

The Gospel text focuses on the figure of Simon Peter. The evangelist specifies the role of the apostle Peter in the community that Jesus wants to establish: he is called to feed and tend the sheep of the Lord and to bear witness to Christ through his life. The Gospel according to John recovers, so to speak, the role of Peter in the key of love. Only the one who loves can shepherd the flock gathered by love. Only he who responds to the love of Christ is capable of being responsible for his flock.

Jesus, therefore, before entrusting Peter with the charge of Shepherding the Church, invites him to a confession of love. The three-fold question of “Do you love me more than these,” seemed to balance Peter’s triple denial of Jesus during his trail. The sin of Peter provided the context for what would follow. Jesus does not reproach him for anything. Just insist on love. This insistence of Jesus can be interpreted as the condition to establish a relationship of communion, of friendship, of sonship that Peter has to have with the Lord.
Pastoral ministry is not a position of prestige and power but a vocation to experience the intimate love of the Lord and to share that love and compassion of the Lord with one’s brothers and sisters.

Peter, who is purified in the fire of forgiveness, could humbly say “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love you ”(Jn 21:17). I am sure that all of us can say it from the heart “(Homily of Pope Francis, Thursday 23 May 2013)

The mission of the Church and of each of her disciples is always carried out in the following of Jesus, which begins when we answer his question: “Do you love me?” «Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you». This beautiful text of the Gospel reminds us that both the love Jesus has for us and the love we profess for him, passes through the care of others. The Holy Spirit grants us the grace to remain lovingly in following Jesus.

Lord, our God, you have appointed shepherds in your Church to speak your word to us and to build community in your name. May they be shepherds like your Son who look for those who have lost the way, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. May they all be ministers of your tender love and service, as Jesus was, your Son and our Lord.