Acts 25:13-21 / John 21:15-19
During these days
of the Easter season, we have heard quite a lot about St. Paul, about
the zeal that he had and how anxious he was about the early church that
they stay faithful to Jesus.
In the 1st reading, we learnt about St. Paul's conviction in just one short sentence from the governor Festus.
Festus referred to Jesus as someone whom St. Paul alleged to be alive.
It
was not just St. Paul's conviction, but also his most profound
experience of the Risen Christ, even though he had not seen the Risen
Christ with his own eyes.
But that experience earned him the title of apostle.
That
experience also led him to make statements like "Nothing matters to me
but Christ alone" and "It is not I who live but Christ who lives in me".
That was also what Jesus wanted to know from St. Peter, when He asked him: Do you love me more than these others do?
Even from His own hand-picked apostles, Jesus wanted to know how committed were they in their love for Him.
And from us, Jesus also wants to know our convictions and our commitment in our love for Him.
So, either Jesus is our all in all in our love, or He is not at all in our lives.