Feed My Sheep

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.”

 Jesus said to him,
“Feed my lambs.”
A second time he said  to him, “Simon  son of John, do you  love me?”

 He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him,
 “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, 

do you love me?” Peter felt hurt 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.
Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your
own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will
 stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you
 and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind

 of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him,
 “Follow me.” John 21:15-19

I am no shepherd although I carry a crozier that is a sign of my role as
 shepherd. I have spent only a little time around sheep, but long enough 
to know how stubborn and defiant they can be at times. They can also
 be compliant, loving and responsive and they know their shepherds well.
 They do not welcome strange persons easily.  Feeding a new lamb is a
 great pleasure I have had,  holding a soft newborn, all legs. This little lamb
 was rejected by his mom  because he was slightly deformed. So sheep are
 as complicated as we are, and many who need feeding have faced rejection
 after rejection, just looking  for a meal and welcoming arms. 

We find Jesus and his disciples in a tender scene\after his resurrection. 
He is not  staying long. He asks  Peter over and over whether he loves him. 
Peter replies emphatically and is hurt by the repetition of questions. and 
answers. That repetition,  a memory device, is for us today. When we ask 
ourselves do we love Jesus, then  the reply has to be then, feed my sheep.
 We are being sent, directed. Our response to love is action and service.

Today, I ask God to give us all the strength to love Jesus and act for the
 welfare  of all. May we be warriors of faith and love, carrying food to the 
hungry, shelter to the homeless, sanctuary for the refugee and freedom 
for all those bound.  May we be the love of Christ in action today.