Tenth station

The Risen Christ confers the supremacy upon Peter 

C. We adore you, Christ risen, and we bless you.
T.  For with your Easter you have given life to the world.

1L. From the Gospel according to John
After they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?"  "Yes, Lord,"  he answered, "you know that I love you."  Jesus said to him, "Take care of may lambs."  A second time Jesus said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"  "Yes, Lord," he answered, "you know that I love you."  Jesus said to him, "Take care of my sheep."  A third time Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you love me?"  Peter became sad because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?"  and so he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!"  Jesus said to him, "Take care of my sheep" (21,15-17).

2L.  A test, a promotion
After the gathering at the lake, a walk along the water.   "Simon of John, do you love me?".  It is here that the Chant of chants is recorded in the New testament.  Three times the Risen asks Peter:  "Do you love me?".  Lovers ask each other:  "Do you love me?  Do you really love me?".  Often we forget that the groom of the new humanity is Christ.  And Christ the groom, in fact, shares everything with the bride:  is Father, his Reign, his Mother, his body and blood in the Eucharist.  And we like Peter, that betrayed him three times, feel frightened in answering.  But with him, with the courage that comes from his Spirit, we say to him:  "You know everything, you know I love you.  I want to love you."
To Peter that passes the test the risen entrusts the lambs and the sheep.  They cannot feed themselves of anything but the sacrifice of who like Jesus is pastor and pasture, he is inviting and becomes food.  All of us, flock of his pasture, are sure of Peter's guidance, our caravan companion, our guide in the name of the Risen.
Like Peter passes the test, we too are called by name.  Do you love me?  Only if you love me you can feed, meaning work together to make grow today's youth that tend to suffer from anorexia of values and anemia of life.  "Youth are the first apostles of youth", says the Vatican Council II.  It is only a matter of love and love means seeing the others like God created him and give oneself, give oneself always.
To you too, youth that are crossing the threshold of the millenium, Jesus says:  "I have made myself bread, food for you in the Eucharist, so that you may be bread for them in the every day.  Take care of them, they are mine, I give them to you.  You will take care of them if you  love me.  And you will love me if you love my loves:  the Father and the men, especially the last and the most indigent.  Love me, take care of my loves, you will stay young in me, with me, Word of the Risen."
It's all a matter of love:  what is auto-dominating oneself to auto-give oneself.   What goes straight to the heart.  "And nothing goes to the heart if it doesn't really come from a heart." (J. Wolfang von Goethe).  Love means seeing the other person the way God created him.

T.   Rejoice, Virgin Mother:  Christ has risen.  Hallelujah!

C. Let us pray.  We thank you, Jesus risen, for today's Peter, our Pope.  He lives his apostolic service with so much generosity and warmth, in the sacrifice of these beautiful but hard times.  Every day you call upon us too:  "Do you love me more than them?".  To us, with Peter and under Peter, you entrust a portion of your pasture.  And we entrust ourselves to you.  Persuade us, Teacher and giver of life, for only if we love we will take care of your pasture; and only with our sacrifice can we feed it with your truth and your peace.

T.  Amen.

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