Simon, do you love me?

I declined to take up the post of RS Panel Chair after Mr. Anthony Wong. I could see that besides the Principal, there were a number of people eager to see me taking up the post. They are loyal to the school and they wanted to retain me in Shung Tak to improve on her ethos. Probably, they also thought that I could join and strengthen their camp to make sure that the post of vice-principal would not fall into the hand of their rivals whose hearts they thought were not for Shung Tak.

I was in no position to pass judgment on their good will. But I was really not inclined. The traumatic experience in La Salle has sunk deep and I was still licking my wounds. To ward off their pressure, I posed a challenge. Find me, within a certain deadline, a verse in the gospel of John to tell me to take up the post . If they were able to meet this challenge, I would accept the post. In order to be fair, I submitted my answer to Sr. Michelle, the Supervisor, so that I would not retract my promise. Suddenly, I had sent them into a frenzy of reading the gospel of John. Praise be the Lord! In the end, the Principal submitted a photocopy of John 10. He did not highlight any verse. The others had come up with several verses. None of them hit. I have to thank them for their efforts. I am sure the sweet Lord would reward them with abundant grace. As for me, I continued to render my full support to Mr. John Wong. Since then, I have been doing the duties in fact but not in name.

The answer is in the reading today. Peter had earlier denied Jesus three times. So, after his resurrection, Jesus granted three chances for Peter to amend his betrayal. Jesus asked Peter three times the following questions.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?Each time, Simon answered
Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.
Peter was well aware of his weaknesses. His master knew them through and through, even better than he himself. Jesus accepted his weaknesses and forgave Peter three times and commissioned him to take care of his flock, his Church.
Forgiving a person gives him a new lease of life. He will be able to stand up from his previous fall to scale new heights. Had forgiveness been denied, we would not have a St. Peter. His denials reminded him of weaknesses he had not been aware of before. Now that he had known his weaknesses and had been forgiven, he should remain humble.
Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go (John 21:18).

My sweet Jesus, I am old enough now. I humbly submit myself to You. Carry me wherever You wish, even where I do not wish to go. Amen.