Brattiness Lives Even In Disciples

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Today’s reading: John 21:2-17

I sympathize with Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ asking him three times in today’s reading,  “Do you love me?”

I’d be hurt too.

(Actually, once I got over the shock of seeing my friend returned to life, I might even be a little annoyed. “What’s wrong with this guy?” I might say to the other disciples. “This life-after-death stuff sure has made him an insecure, creepy wacko!”)

But that’s missing the point, of course. It fails to acknowledge that Jesus repeats the  question not for Himself, but rather for Peter (and us). He is guiding Peter to understand the limits of his spirituality.

I am thinking of all the times I have assured teachers of my thorough understanding of a matter only to discover later my hopeless ignorance. The teachers were certainly justified in their inquiries, but my answers were not always nice. (Actually, most of the time, my answers were pleasant, but my thoughts were along the lines of, “Yes, I understand! Now, would you quit bugging me?!)

Something similar is happening between Peter and Jesus in these verses:

Peter, of course, has a history of not fully loving Jesus. (Not long before the events of today’s reading, of course,  he denied his blessed friend three times before the Crucifixion. And in fact, he told Jesus he loved him just before that, too!) So his credibility is questionable on this topic. But does Peter acknowledge this weakness? Of course not.  If  he did, he would not have been hurt by Jesus’s repeated question. He would have understood that the question is fair and rational. Given the extent of Peter’s betrayal, in fact,  Jesus would have been justified in asking it 300 times!

Peter’s pain is just a sign that he has a little of the human brattiness that plagues us all.

Fortunately, we know by the rest of the New Testament that the pain is brief. The blessed man goes on to demonstrate his love for Jesus in brave and inspiring ways for the rest of his life. I cannot recall any other instance in the in which Jesus asks Peter that question again. It’s clear that He does not have to!

Thanks be to God for Peter’s loving, patient, and very talented, teacher. May I (and we) always be excited (not annoyed) to show Jesus I love him.