“Saints are sinners who kept on going.”

Time Magazine Reporter Interviewing Mother Teresa: You feel you have no special qualities? Mother Teresa:

I don't think so. I don't claim anything of the work. It's His work. I'm like a little pencil in His hand. That's all. He does the thinking. He does the writing. The pencil has nothing to do with it. The pencil has only to be allowed to be used. In human terms, the success of our work should not have happened, no? That is a sign that it's His work, and that He is using others as instruments - all our Sisters. None of us could produce this. Yet see what He has done.

 Gospel text (Jn 21,1-19):

Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Lake of Tiberias. He appeared to them in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas who was called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two other disciples were together; and Simon Peter said to them, «I'm going fishing». They replied, «We will come with you» and they went out and got into the boat. But they caught nothing that night.

When day had already broken, Jesus was standing on the shore, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus called them, «Children, have you anything to eat?». They answered, «Nothing». Then he said to them, «Throw the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some». When they had lowered the net, they were not able to pull it in because of the great number of fish. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, «It's the Lord!». At these words, «It's the Lord», Simon Peter put on his clothes, for he was stripped for work, and jumped into the water. The other disciples came in the boat dragging the net full of fish; they were not far from land, about a hundred meters. 

When they landed, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it, and some bread. Jesus said to them, «Bring some of the fish you've just caught». So Simon Peter climbed into the boat and pulled the net to shore. It was full of big fish —one hundred and fifty-three— but, in spite of this, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, «Come and have breakfast», and not one of the disciples dared ask him, «Who are you?» for they knew it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and He did the same with the fish. This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after rising from the dead.

After they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, «Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?». He answered, «Yes, Lord, you know that I love you». And Jesus said, «Feed my lambs». A second time Jesus said to him, «Simon, son of John, do you love me?». And Peter answered, «Yes, Lord, you know that I love you». Jesus said to him, «Look after my sheep». And a third time He said to him, «Simon, son of John, do you love me?», Peter was saddened because Jesus asked him a third time, «Do you love me?» and he said, «Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you». Jesus then said, «Feed my sheep. Truly, I say to you, when you were young you put on your belt and walked where you liked. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will put a belt around you and lead you where you do not wish to go». Jesus said this to make known the kind of death by which Peter was to glorify God. And he added, «Follow me».

Perfect people do not exist. 

God always chooses the weak in order to bring about great tasks.

People who recognize their weaknesses, sinfulness and limitations are humble.  Humility allows them to rely on God's grace and not on their own capabilities.  The arrogant do not allow God to work in their lives, or through them, in the lives of others.

"Peter, do you love me?"  Peter was asked this question three times.  Three times Peter assured the Lord that he loved him, and three times Peter was commissioned to show his love by “feeding the flock”.  This reminds us that love is not comprised of empty promises.  Love is made manifest in giving ourselves to others.

When Peter denied the Lord, the Scriptures tell us that he went away and wept bitterly.  Through repentance and compunction, Peter was able to mistrust his own abilities and put his trust entirely in the Lord.  He discovered that left to his own abilities, he would continue to fall.  However, united to the power of God's grace, he could overcome himself and persevere in fidelity.

This Sunday's gospel passage reminds us that our own personal sin is never the end of the story.  Every day God gives us a blank piece of paper to write the history of a new day. 

Jesus asks us the same question:  Do you love me?  Every day, we have many moments to show Jesus how much we really do love him.