Saturday Before Pentecost – All Souls Saturday; The Holy Priest-Martyr Therapontus (254-59)
Acts 28:1-31; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; John 21:15-25; John 5:24-30.
Read John 21:15-25
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
One of my favorite spots in the Holy Land is a beautiful place on the shore of the Lake of Galilee known to the pilgrims by the name of Tabgha II or Church of the Primacy of Peter built on the site where Jesus interrogated Peter trice about his love. Most Catholics visiting this location are inclined to think that Tabgha is the place where Peter and his successors were given the greatest authority in the Church. But in my humble opinion, it was also a place where Peter received a lesson of humility and modesty rather than that of grandeur.
The reason for which Jesus asks the same question three times without a doubt directly corresponds to Peter’s threefold denial of Jesus. Yet, there is another direct correspondence of dialogue of Jesus with Peter to that of discussion over the question of who will betray Jesus that took place at the time of the Last Supper. Looking back at the night before his arrest and passions, Jesus gently reminds Peter of his rather arrogant affirmation that even if all the rest of the disciples will fall away, he will never fall away (Matthew 26:33). Therefore, this time Peter, feeling humbled, does not make comparisons any more, being simply content to say: “You know that I love you.”
Still, Peter does not entirely stop making comparisons, for he turns back and looks at John, the so-called Beloved Disciple of Christ, and compares himself to him. Yet, Jesus passionately explains to him that each disciple has his own vocation and his own way of following. Peter will eventually witness his faith by martyrdom, while John will be destined to live a much longer life. In the same way we should not compare ourselves to other people, because each of us has his or her unique calling, peculiar gifts, and distinctive path to salvation. As long as we follow Jesus, there should be no place for envy, suspicion, or any kind of resentment.