PHILIP NERI, Priest
St. Philip Neri was a priest of Rome in the 16th century. He founded the Oratorians, a congregation for secular priests. At a time of religious decadence, he did much to revive a true religious sense and devotion to the eucharist. He was very original and always of joyous disposition, often playing practical jokes on friends , so much so that some doubted his sanctity. His biography tells that his heart beat so strongly with love of God that one day two of his ribs cracked.
Reading 1: Acts 25:13b-21
A few days later King Agrippa and his wife, Bernice, visited Caesarea to welcome Festus to his new post. After several days, Festus brought up Paul’s case to the king. “I have a man on my hands here, a prisoner left by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the high priests and Jewish leaders brought a bunch of accusations against him and wanted me to sentence him to death. I told them that wasn’t the way we Romans did things. Just because a man is accused, we don’t throw him out to the dogs. We make sure the accused has a chance to face his accusers and defend himself of the charges. So when they came down here I got right on the case. I took my place in the courtroom and put the man on the stand.
18-21 “The accusers came at him from all sides, but their accusations turned out to be nothing more than arguments about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who the prisoner claimed was alive. Since I’m a newcomer here and don’t understand everything involved in cases like this, I asked if he’d be willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there. Paul refused and demanded a hearing before His Majesty in our highest court. So I ordered him returned to custody until I could send him to Caesar in Rome.”
Gospel: Jn 21:15-19
After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”
17-19 Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, “Follow me.”
Prayer
God, our Father,
you want us to be joyful people
as we are disciples of the risen Lord
who defeated death as the great enemy.
Thank you for creating us for happiness.
Help us to make our own
the motto of Saint Philip Neri
that joy is the best way to perfection.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Reflection:
7th Week of Easter, Friday
26 May 2023
John 21:15-19
To love Jesus more than anything else
Today, the Church celebrates Saint Philip Neri. Saint Philip was born into a well-educated, Catholic, middle-class home in Italy. After growing up in Florence, he moved to Rome to study theology. While he was still a layperson, he founded a group to care for impoverished pilgrims to Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1551. He begged alms from his wealthy friends and acquaintances to redistribute to needy street children. The Roman people loved and respected him so much, that he is sometimes called the city’s “Third Apostle” after Saint Peter and Saint Paul.
He was a cheerful listener and mortified himself but never talked about it. He was poor but wore nice clothes. He looked like everyone else, yet…everyone saw the invisible halo casting a glow over Saint Philip. People crowded around him, for they knew they were witnessing the life of a saint.
The Gospel text focuses on Simon Peter. Evangelist John describes Peter’s role in the new community Jesus wants to establish: feeding and caring for the sheep of the Lord and bearing witness to Christ through his life. The Gospel, according to John, recovers, so to speak, the role of Peter in the mission of love. Only the one who loves his sheep can shepherd his flock gathered by love. Only he who responds to the love of Christ is capable of being responsible for his flock.
Jesus invites Peter to a confession of love. The three-fold question of “Do you love me more than these?” seemed to balance Peter’s triple denial of Jesus during his trial. Peter’s denial of Jesus provided the context for what followed. Jesus does not reproach him but Just insists on love.
Pastoral ministry is not a position of prestige and power but a vocation to experience the intimate love of the Lord and to share that love and compassion with the sheep entrusted to the pastor’s care.
Peter, who is purified in the fire of forgiveness, could only humbly say, “Lord, You know everything; You know that I love you” (Jn 21:17). The mission of the Church is always found in answering the question of Jesus: “Do you love me?” We answer: “Lord, you know everything, you know that I love you”. In this beautiful text, Jesus reminds us that our love for the Lord is manifested only through our love and care for others.
Lord, our God, you have appointed shepherds to speak your word to us and to build your Church. May they be shepherds like your Son who came to search for those who have lost their way, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. May they all be ministers of your tender love and service, as Jesus was, your Son and our Lord.