Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

CHRYSOSTOM:

And so, Jesus entrusts to him primacy over his brothers. He does not bring up the denial, nor does he reproach him for what had taken place. Rather, he says, If you love me, preside over your brothers, and now show them the warmth of love that you have always shown and in which you rejoiced. And the life that you said you would lay down for me, now give for my sheep.¹

AUGUSTINE:

Peter made no other reply than that he loved him. The Lord asked no other question but whether he loved him. When Peter answered, our Lord did nothing else but entrust his sheep to him.²

APHRAHAT:

For the pastor who cares for his sheep engages in no other pursuit along with that. He does not make a vineyard, or plant gardens, or fall into the troubles of this world. Never have we seen a pastor who left his sheep in the wilderness and became a merchant, or one who left his flock to wander and became a husbandman. But if he deserts his flock and does these things, he thereby hands over his flock to the wolves.³

AUGUSTINE:

“Feed my sheep.” Why? Because you love me, because you are devoted to me, I am committing my sheep to you. Feed them, but remember they are mine. Heretical leaders, though, wish to make their own the sheep that are really Christ’s. All the same, they are forced … to set the stamp of Christ on them. They may make them their own private flock, but they still have to register them in the Lord’s name.⁴

ROMANUS MELODUS:

Look to me, Peter, on how you offer instruction.
Remembering your own fall, sympathize with all.
Mindful of that maiden who caused your own downfall, do not be harsh.
If conceit attacks you, listen again to the sound of the rooster’s crow,
And remember the tears with whose streams I washed you,
I who alone know what is in your heart.

Peter, do you love me? Do what I say, feed my flock, and love those whom I love,
Sympathizing with sinners and remembering the compassion I had for you, since I received you after you denied me three times.
You have a thief as gatekeeper of paradise to give you courage.
Send him those whom you wish.
Because of you, Adam turned to me,
Crying, “O Creator offer me
The robber as gatekeeper, and Cephas as keeper of the keys.
You who alone know what is in the heart.”⁵

BEDE:

Peter also restrained himself in this inquiry of our Lord’s by answering cautiously, for he remembered earlier on, when Christ’s passion was drawing near, he had attributed greater constancy to himself than he possessed.⁶

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA:

The Savior does not say to him, fast, or keep watch for me. But, since the pastoral care of souls is more worthy and more useful to the community, he entrusts him with this. I, he says, need nothing: feed my sheep, and return to me the love with which I loved you, because I will take your care for them as care devoted to me.⁷

BEDE:

A director must diligently see to it that earthly necessities are not lacking to his subjects and also be careful in providing them with examples of virtues along with words of preaching.… When those who are under his care may perhaps themselves have fallen into error, he as a righteous person should, according to the word of the psalmist, “accuse them mercifully and rebuke them,” but he should not soothe their hearts with the oil of harmful approval. This too is one of the obligations of a pious shepherd.⁸

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA:

And, by the saying of our Lord, “Feed my lambs,” we must understand a renewal as it were of the apostleship already given to him, washing away the disgrace of his fall that came in the intervening period and obliterating his faintheartedness that arose from human infirmity.⁹

GREGORY THE GREAT:

And so, rest is to be desired by us with all our heart. And yet for the advantage of many it should sometimes be laid aside. For, as we ought with full desire to fly from occupation, so, if there should be a lack of anyone available to preach, we need to put a willing shoulder under the burden of occupation. And this we are taught by the conduct of two prophets [Jeremiah and Isaiah], one of whom attempted to shun the office of preaching,25 while the other desired it.¹⁰

AUGUSTINE:

For the necessary order was that Christ should first die for Peter’s salvation and then that Peter should die for the preaching of Christ. The boldness thus begun by human temerity was an utter inversion of the order that had been instituted by the Truth. Peter thought he was going to lay down his life for Christ—the one to be delivered on behalf of the deliverer—seeing that Christ had come to lay down his life for all his own, including Peter, which, you see, was now done. From here on out, a true strength of heart (because it was graciously given) may be assumed for incurring death itself for the name of the Lord and not a false one presumptuously usurped through an erroneous estimate of ourselves.¹¹

1. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 88.1.  Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 386). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
2. SERMON 229n.1.  Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 387). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
3. DEMONSTRATION 10.4.  Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 387). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
4. SERMON 290.3. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 387). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
5. KONTAKION ON THE MISSION OF THE APOSTLES 47.5–6. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 388). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
6. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 2.22. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 388). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
7. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 7.21.17.  Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 388). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
8. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 2.22. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 389). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
9. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 12:1. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 389). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
10. LETTER 7.4. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 390). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
11. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 123.4. Elowsky, J. C. (Ed.). (2007). John 11–21 (p. 392). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.