2025/05/04 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION

Third Sunday of Easter

- Lori Howard, Coordinator of Sacramental Prep

This week’s Gospel reading from John offers a deeply personal and powerful picture of the risen Jesus meeting His disciples amid their ordinary lives. After a fruitless night of fishing, the disciples encounter Jesus on the shore, though they don’t recognize Him at first. At His instruction, they cast their net again and bring in a miraculous catch, a powerful reminder that blessings follow when we listen to and trust Christ.

Peter’s reaction really stands out. As soon as he realizes it’s Jesus, he doesn’t hesitate, he jumps right into the water to get to Him. It’s such a raw, honest moment that shows his love, even though he’s made mistakes. It’s something many of us can relate to -- messing up, but still deeply wanting to reconnect with God.

At the center of this story is the moment when Jesus asks Peter the same question three times: “Do you love me?”  This moment is both kind and deliberate in helping Peter find his way back. The same Peter who denied Jesus three times is now given three chances to declare his love. Each time, Jesus follows Peter’s affirmation with a call to action: “Feed my sheep.” It’s more than forgiveness — Jesus is giving Peter a new mission, showing that loving Him means serving others.

This passage reminds us that our past failures do not disqualify us from God’s purpose. Jesus meets us where we are, calls us by name, and invites us to follow Him again. His love restores, renews, and redirects us. Like Peter, we are called to live out our love for Jesus by caring for those around us, with compassion, humility, and faithfulness.

As we reflect on this passage, we are challenged to hear Jesus’ question in our own lives: “Do you love me?” And if we do, the invitation is clear: to follow Him by feeding His sheep -- serving others, especially in the ordinary moments of everyday life.