"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.”
In this Gospel, Jesus thrice asks Peter if he loves him. Peter knows his sin. He betrayed the Lord three times. Jesus knows Peter’s sin too. But in this Gospel, Jesus comes to him and offers him the opportunity to be reconciled with him for his threefold betrayal and denial. What’s the meaning of the word “reconciliation?” It is derived from the Latin word “cilia” which means “eyelashes.” So, to be reconciled is to be brought eyelash to eyelash with another. It is to see face to face, eye to eye. Like Peter, we also sin. And Just as Jesus knew Peter’s sin, he knows our sin too. Since Jesus in person is not physically present to us, how can we now be brought eyelash to eyelash with him? By means of the sacrament of Confession! But is that the only means? In the privacy of my room or when I come to church, why can’t I simply pray and ask the Lord to forgive me?
Well, Peter did that too after he betrayed Jesus. In the Gospel of Luke, we are told that the moment Peter denied knowing Jesus for the third time, Jesus turned around and looked straight at him, and Peter remembered that the Lord had warned that before the cock crows, he, Peter will deny him three times (Luke 22:61). Filled with intense remorse, Peter went out and wept bitterly. Now, as Peter was weeping, do you think he never said something like “I’ve really messed up. I’ve betrayed my Master. Lord, I am sorry. Lord, I am so sorry? Lord, please forgive me?” Of course, he must have said something along those lines. Genuine and deep remorse is always accompanied by sincere pleas for mercy. Even Judas Iscariot, the most despised biblical figure in Christianity, was remorseful for betraying Jesus. In fact, going by biblical account, the most important words of Judas is “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4). What’s the great fault of Judas? Most Christians will answer, “betraying Jesus!” Don’t get me wrong, betraying Jesus is a great sin, but Judas’ greatest sin is despair and impatience. If only he didn’t despair, if only he was patient, Jesus would have come to him too to be reconciled with him.
What point am I making? When Peter left the scene of the trial of Jesus to weep bitterly, he did confess and plead for mercy privately. But that wasn’t enough. Jesus needed to offer him the opportunity to be reconciled with him, to see him face to face, eye to eye. Jesus gives us that opportunity too in the confessional. When you pray privately, please remember to ask the Lord to forgive you your sins. But if you want this reconciliation to be complete, if you want to be brought eyelash to eyelash with Jesus, make yourself available in the confessional.
— Fr. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR
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