Gospel John 21:15-19
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.”
Reflection This is one of the first appearances of Jesus to his disciples after he is risen. And what we see in it is a way that Jesus is preparing Peter for his role as the leader of the community, that he is founding. And when he says, I want you to do something, I want you to take care of people.
But he uses two images that I think are really interesting. I want you to feed them and tend them. What's the difference? One is making sure of everything that they need that they have. Give them the truth. Give them what they need. But tending is like a bending over and a caring for how they're doing on their journey.
It's a thing that we often don't find enough in the religious world that I live in. It's more about feeding them, sending them out. But the tending is at the heart of what I think Jesus is asking all of us to do.


Closing Prayer Father, to tell someone what they should believe, or what they should do is one thing, but to give them what they need to be able to do it, is another. And then to stay with them as they struggle is even another very important part. Keep us in that mode of feeding and tending and being there for each other. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.