Look within instead around

We are still recovering from the exhaustion and joy of Pascha. Between the lack of sleep during Holy Week and the weeks of fasting, our bodies need to recover. That much we all share during Pascha. We also share the bad habit of looking at how others prepared and celebrate. We may even have judged a ‘few’ we saw in Church we didn’t think were doing it right.

At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 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.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.” Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

John 21:15-25

In this resurrection story Jesus warns us about looking at others rather than ourselves, “What is that to you?” Although Saint Peter wasn’t judging Saint John in this story, Jesus’ response is a good reminder that our time should be spent on looking at our sins rather than others.

Now that Pascha has arrived, we must fight the temptation of judging how others are celebrating. “HEY! He didn’t say Christ is Risen! Doesn’t he know we are ‘supposed’ to say Christ is Risen for forty days?” We are all guilty of this, me included.

Let’s not spoil the joy of the resurrection by looking at others. Christ says to us, “Follow Me.” He didn’t say follow others, critique others, judge others. He said, “Follow Me.” That is our only job during Pascha and throughout the year.

Christ is Risen!