With these words in the Eucharistic Liturgy, the priest reminds us that when Jesus took the cup and bread, blessed them and offered them to his disciples, He did so knowing that they would betray Him soon after. It was Himself that He offered to His Church; He did not withhold any of Himself from them even when He knew her to be unfaithful. And when He was betrayed, He chose to love her more, and gave of Himself so completely that He made His Bride white with His blood.
What love is this, that He would lay Himself in our hands and on our lips, surrender Himself so completely to us, on the very time of His betrayal! What faithful, everlasting love that surrenders self even to the one whom He knows will that very night deny Him not once, but thrice! And what does He ask in return? "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He does not seek anything but our love. He aches for our love!! And when we respond, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!" He commands: "Feed my sheep." For true love is a fruitful love. Christ asks that we feed His sheep--His children--for we are His Bride. If we are a faithful Bride truly in love with her Bridegroom, we will be a fruitful Bride who nourishes her offspring.
No comments:
Post a Comment