Charcoal Fire
The 266th successor of St. Peter has died:
May Pope Francis rest in peace and rise in glory.
Elected in February 2013, he was quick to proclaim:
God does not tire of forgiving us if we are able to return to him with a contrite heart (17 March 2013).
Peter had denied Jesus three times.
Intimidated by a servant girl, Peter’s triple denial was preceded by him warming himself with a charcoal fire (John 18:18).
Peter had got too complacent, too comfortable.
Jesus pulls him out of his spiritual torpor, reminding him of his betrayal by preparing a breakfast of fish and bread on a charcoal fire (John 21:9).
Notice what happens next.
Jesus does not ‘point the finger’ at Peter but rather questions him three times about his love. Importantly, Peter lets himself be questioned:
Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?
Peter responds magnificently. The questioning evokes sorrow – contrition, as the pope says:
Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.
We let ourselves be questioned by Jesus, for like Peter, unfaithfulness is part of our personal story.
And part of our story is the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy.
Amen.