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Our Gospel this Sunday reminds us again of some powerful good news. It’s what I call the episode of the second chance. Now it is important that you remember who was there in those boats. Jesus’ disciples. You know, the ones who fled when he was arrested. The ones who, when he needed a bit of comfort, fell asleep on him. The ones who, when the going got tough, abandoned him. And there, too, was Peter, the leader, who figures so prominently in this story. He was there. Remember, he denied even knowing Jesus.
It is to these that Jesus appears. And he has a question. And it is urgently important that we realize what the question is not. His question is not “What have you done?” His question is not “Who were you in the past?” His question is not “Have you reformed?” His question is not “Do you remember your sins?” His question has nothing to do with the past and everything to do with the present. His question is simply “Here and now, do you love me?”
“Do you love me?” That’s all Jesus is interested in. Let bygones be bygones. Let sins be forgotten. Let mistakes be put aside. Let stupidities be buried. Let hurts be unrecorded. Let betrayals be unmentioned. All that matters is, “Right here, right now, do you love me?”
Can you sense the drama of this very personal gospel, the absolute forgiveness implied in the question, the total love of the Questioner? Can’t you sense that this gospel lives? That on this Sunday morning, at this liturgy, here and now, Someone is asking the only question that matters in your life and mine. He is asking, “Do you love me?” It’s the gift of the second chance. Never mind the past. “Today, do you love me?” This is why this gospel was saved by the faith community. It was saved for people like ourselves who also needed to know the Stranger is on the shore of our lives as we toil with empty nets and that, above all, the Stranger comes with a question and a challenge.
“Do you love me?” If you do, go forth from this church and love others. Start with your family first. Give someone a second chance. Is there someone you know who needs to be reminded that our God does not say – Why did you? How could you? Our God says here – start over. Try again. Try again.