The last chapter of John's Gospel takes us to Galilee, to the Sea of Tiberias. After Jesus' death, Peter, John, and other disciples have returned to their work as fishermen, but unfortunately, the night has not been fruitful.

The Risen Lord appears there for the third time and exhorts them to cast their nets again, and this time they catch many fish. Then he invites them to share the meal on the shore. Peter and the others have recognized him, but they don't dare speak to him.

Jesus takes the initiative and addresses Peter with a very difficult question: "Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?" It is a solemn moment: Jesus renews his call to Peter three times (cf. Mt 16, 18-19) to take care of his sheep, of which he himself is the Shepherd (Jn 10, 14).

"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."

But Peter knows he has failed, and this tragic experience prevents him from responding positively to Jesus' question. He humbly replies, "You know that I love you."

Throughout the dialogue, Jesus doesn't reproach Peter for his betrayal, nor does he dwell on his error. He draws near to him, showing him his potential, drawing him into his painful wound to heal it with his friendship. All he asks is to rebuild their relationship with mutual trust.

And Peter gives a response that is an act of awareness of his weakness and, at the same time, of unlimited trust in the welcoming love of his Master and Lord:

"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."

Jesus also asks each of us the same question: Do you love me? Do you want to be my friend?

He knows everything: He knows the gifts we have received from Himself, and also our weaknesses and wounds, sometimes bleeding. And yet He renews His trust, not in our strength, but in our friendship with Him.

In this friendship, Peter will find the courage to bear witness to his love for Jesus, even to the point of giving his life.

«We all experience moments of weakness, frustration, and discouragement: […] adversity, painful situations, illness, death, inner trials, misunderstandings, temptations, failures […] Precisely those who feel unable to overcome certain trials that overwhelm body and soul, and therefore cannot count on their own strength, are in a position to trust in God. And He, attracted by this trust, intervenes. Wherever He acts, He accomplishes great things, which seem greater precisely because they spring from our smallness.»^[1].

In our daily lives, we can present ourselves to God as we are and ask for His healing friendship. In this trusting abandonment to His mercy, we can return to intimacy with the Lord and resume our journey with Him.

"Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you."

This Word of life can become a personal prayer, our response to entrust ourselves to God with our little strength and thank him for the signs of his love:

«[…] I love you because you have entered my life more than the air in my lungs, more than the blood in my veins. You have entered where no one could enter, when no one could help me, whenever no one could console me. […] Grant me the grace to be grateful to you—at least a little—for as long as I have left, for this love you have showered upon me and which compelled me to say: I love you.»^[2]. We can also learn Jesus' style in our family, social and ecclesial relationships: to love everyone, to be the first to love, to "wash feet" (cf. Jn 13, 14) to our brothers and sisters, especially the smallest and most fragile. We will learn to welcome each person with humility and patience, without judgment, open to asking for and receiving forgiveness, to understand together how to walk through life side by side.

Letizia Magri and the Word of Life team

[1] C. Lubich, Word of Life, July 2000: Ciudad Nueva n. 367 (2000/7), p. 24.
[2] C. Lubich, «Gratitude», in Thoughts (1961): Spiritual Writings/1, Ciudad Nueva, Madrid 1995, pp. 156-157.