Friday Mass readings / commentary (Paul’s case in court / St Peter loves Jesus the most? / persecution)

[distracted]

May 21, 2010
Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Friday Mass readings / commentary (Paul’s case in court / St Peter loves Jesus the most? / persecution)

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.”

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

R. (19a) The Lord has established his throne in Heaven .

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 .

For as the Heaven s 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 .

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 .

Jn 21:15-19
Gospel

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.”


.

In the 1st psg St Paul is persecuted... in the 2nd Jesus predicts that St Peter will be martyred.

Its interesting that St Peter denied Jesus 3 times and then later he gets 3 chances from the Lord to take back the denials... Of course Jesus knew he didn't mean those denials anyway... he was just a weak human being...

its also interesting that Jesus asks this question "Do you love me...?" only...of Peter just another example of how Peter had the primacy among the apostles... and was made head of the earthly Church..

Peter seems to have loved Jesus the most... of the 12.

[Nita]

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.”

The word "Follow" acquired a deeper meaning for me when I heard this gospel on Friday. Made me really think about the meaning of the word "follow" - what it all encompasses.

Jesus tells Peter to "Follow me" right after telling Peter that his hands would be stretched out. Did Peter recognize the "stretch out your hands" as a foretelling of his own crucifixion? (We know the gospel's author, John, did at the time he wrote his gospel. Would the word "Follow" almost confirm to Peter that such would be the way he would die? If so, Peter must have spent time pondering specifically Our Lord's behavior during his passion and crucifixion, how He reacted/responded to ridicule, lies, cruelty, etc. -- and then prayed for the strength to "follow Jesus" with the same actions when he would the same type of death.