Jesus said to Peter 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." (Jn 21:15-19)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052623.cfm
Today we have Peter being restored to ministry, “Feed my sheep.” But it’s a ministry based not on apostolic power but rather based on love, “Simon do you love me?” Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595) was committed to the renewal of secular (non-religious) priests. He began the custom of visiting the seven patriarchal basilicas of Rome. In Colombia the custom is to visit seven churches to visit the Altar of Repose on the evening of Holy Thursday.
These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Saint Philip Neri, May 26
