+Z’ev

Today’s assigned readings:
AM Ezekiel 3:4-11, Acts 10:34-44
PM Ezekiel 34:11-16, John 21:15-22

Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?”
John 21:17b

Today’s feast remembers the time that Peter suddenly cried out “you are the Christ, the son of the Living God” (following the example of his Brother, Andrew). That event shows up in the readings for Mass. But the daily office readings show a different event, one recorded rather later, after Jesus death.

In English, this passage is all about “love”. But it’s not so in Greek, as we discovered once in a class on the writings of John. But I had it wrong then. When I saw the words in Greek (without a dictionary or the wonderful world of hyperlinked services) I thought the word Jesus used was “Agape”. I was wrong however…

Jesus asks Peter “Do you agapas αγαπας me?” The word means “welcome”, “entertain”. Jesus is asking how much hospitality will Peter show Jesus? And the way to show this hospitality to Jesus? Feed his sheep.

Twice Jesus asks for Hospitality.

Twice Peter says “You know I’m your friend.” Using the Greek word philo φιλω.

And then finally, Jesus says, “Are you are you my friend?” (Using Philo). And Peter is hurt that Jesus said “Philo”.

If we claim we want to welcome Jesus, we have to feed his sheep. Or, as John says elsewhere, using the same Greek word, agapas αγαπας, “Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20)

The revelation of Jesus as “Christ, son of the Living God” is meaningless without the revelation of those around us as his icons.

This is why it is important to, as Paul says, “Discern the Body.” The Body is everywhere around us - not just in the Church but in the people God created. As many sermons as there are urging us to see Christ in the poor and the disenfranchised, we must learn to see Christ in everyone - rich, poor, Christian and nonChristian. These, too, are his sheep - as we know from the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Someone is no less one of Jesus sheep just because they are not “saved”.

Feed my sheep.

Only Biblical Dictionary underscores the responsibility of someone “feeding Jesus sheep” as “portraying the duty of a Christian teacher to promote in every way the spiritual welfare” of the Sheep.

Imagine… what would that look like if each of us committed to “promote in every way the spiritual welfare” of everyone who was called into the flock of God (ie everyone)?

Again, it’s not enough to simply “accept (agapas αγαπας) Jesus Christ”. In order to do that, the very process by which it is done, is the feeding of his sheep (everyone). He asks Peter nothing about theology, not even about confession and forgiveness (for Peter’s denial of Jesus). He only says, “If you would host me in your house, then feed my sheep.”

This is the only theological question Jesus asks: “Agapas αγαπας me?” “Show me hospitality?”

And this is the only way he teaches to do so: Feed my sheep.

Much love,

Huw