Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish

FR MICHAEL BIBLICAL IMAGERY

(Fr Michael Boakye Yeboah: Vice Rector of St Gregory Seminary, Kumasi-Ghana)

AM GOING BACK…

            How many times have we made a resolution about something, especially like a bad habit, and we promise God that we will never do that again but we go back and do it again and again and again. At times some people get frustrated and they get ashamed to carry the same sinful way to the same priest for confession. It may be frustrating for the sinner but our merciful Father is always ready to return us to his ever-present love.

            Jesus met St. Peter on the shore of the sea of Galilee and called him to discipleship. In calling St. Peter to follow him, it was the intention of the Lord that St. Peter would never return back to his former trade. St. Peter was faithful in following Jesus throughout his ministry although he had some setbacks, missing his former trade. He became the first lieutenant to the group and their official mouthpiece. Life was treating him quiet well until Jesus was killed on that fateful Friday. Three days later all indication showed that Jesus was alive and the disciples should continue with the task he gave to them. Only last week Jesus met the whole group in the upper room and empowered them with the power to forgive sins and to retain sins. With all these, I don’t know why St. Peter brought the whole group with him to return back to their formal trade. Was staying in the upper room for two continuous weeks boring and so they decided to stretch their legs by going fishing? I don’t know and I don’t want to presume.

            Anyway, they were at sea and as before, they were struggling to make a catch until Jesus shows up and directed them to a great catch again. The Lord by that action seemed to communicate to St. Peter and the rest of the disciples that unless he is in their life and their businesses they cannot succeed. Do not run away from the work that God has given to you to do because you belong to him. As St Augustine said, “our hearts will be restless until they rest in the Lord.”

With all the drama happening, what interests me the most is how Jesus made St. Peter confirm his love for him and the implication of it by tending the flock of God. The Lord asked St. Peter the question: “Do you love me?” three times. St. Peter reaffirmed his love for him three times though the last response was with a tone of frustration. St. Peter may have abandoned his divinely assigned job and returned to his former trade but Jesus was not ready to abandon St. Peter. Jesus rather returned him and his brothers to his divine love that never fails.

            Now when St. Peter became convinced of his faith in the Lord, nothing could make him betray his Lord again. In the first reading, the inspired writer tells us that no matter the warnings and threats given to St. Peter for preaching the Gospel of Jesus, he told the elders to their faces that he will always preach the resurrected Christ no matter the penalty that came with it. St. Peter is an example to us all. Like St. Peter we may have abandoned the cause of grace and turned back to our former ways of sin, but as many times we turn to sin the Lord shows us love and forgiveness. If the Lord shows us such great love, then we should repay him back by committing our whole life to him. Please never turn your back to Jesus again. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.