Women’s Conference – June 7, 2025
Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; John 21:20-25
What a wonderful day to gather as God’s daughters and sons in praise and worship! This morning, we stand on the threshold of the great solemnity of Pentecost and the culmination of the Easter event, beginning with the resurrection of Jesus, his ascension into heaven and finally the sending forth of the Holy Spirit – God within us – as close to us as our own very lives! And it is only in and through our openness to the Spirit that we are able to embrace the message of salvation, to build Church and to give God’s love and mercy a voice, hands and a heart in a world that so desperately needs to recognize and accept God’s enduring presence. How blest we are!
Today’s scripture passages, taken from the readings of the day for Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter, bring both the Acts of the Apostles and particularly Saint John’s gospel to a close – thereby setting the stage for the Spirit to pour forth into the lives of Jesus’ disciples and to begin the mission of evangelization and the proclamation of the gospel of life.
Let’s look carefully at the gospel – these verses that recount Jesus’ final exchanges with his disciples before this fourth and last gospel to be written comes to a close. It’s interesting that what we hear is not some lofty exhortation on how the disciples are to open their lives to the Holy Spirit and take the gospel message to the ends of the earth. Rather, we’re presented with a somewhat perplexing conversation between Peter and the risen Jesus. On the heels of Peter’s threefold assertion of love for Jesus – a clear reference to his threefold denial of the Lord in the midst of his passion – Peter once again reflects his personal woundedness and need for Jesus’ saving grace in his life.
Notice that Peter seems overly concerned – even reflecting a bit of jealously – about the status of the disciple John, whom Jesus loved. Jesus had just reminded Peter that in the unique role of leadership that he was being given within the emerging Church, he would face the same kind of suffering embraced by the risen Lord. And yet, during this incredibly intimate exchange, Peter amazingly questions Jesus about John. “What about him, Lord?” – implicitly asking Jesus whether John will have to suffer as well. Of course, we heard Jesus’ response: “What concern is it of yours?” … And in those words of Jesus, we are reminded of his final command to Peter in the verses just prior to today’s gospel: “Peter, do you love me? If so, then follow me!”
Throughout the latter part of John’s gospel, both Peter and John were often linked and it’s the beloved disciple who is inevitably presented in the more favorable light. … Peter denies knowing Jesus – not John, even though he too accompanied Jesus throughout his passion and journey to Calvary. … It’s John who stands with Mary, the mother of Jesus, at the foot of the cross. Peter is nowhere to be found. … Yet, the question placed on the lips of Peter about the disciple John does not denigrate him in any way despite the apparent sharpness of Jesus’ response.
What is important to take away from this climactic gospel passage is that for all his waxing and waning, Peter is still a disciple of the risen Lord. He is still called by Jesus to pastor the flock entrusted to his care. While some suggest that John, the beloved disciple, represents the ideal follower of Jesus, Peter may well represent the situation confronting all disciples – including you and me. For no matter how diligently we seek embrace the message of the gospel – no matter how righteous we may see ourselves to be – no matter how meticulously we engage the rituals and practices of our faith – we are all like Peter. We are all fragile followers and pastors in need of the mercy and love of God.
This realization, my friends, is hardly meant to deflate our spirits. To the contrary, it places us within the great communion of saints, from Peter – and John – and countless other disciples of the risen Lord who have lived and loved and served through two millennia – to this very gathering of God’s people who have been humble enough to open our hearts to his love and saving grace.
Indeed, the realization that we are all fragile, broken souls in need of God’s mercy ought not lead us to a place of never-ending self-denigration in our relationship with God. No! Such a recognition on our part places acknowledges the mystery and wonder of God’s great love for creation, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. … For God so love the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16).
This gathering today, with its theme of Heart to Heart Prayer, is an invitation for all of us to engage in the vital practice of opening our hearts to God and placing before the Lord our lives – with all their blemishes, joys, blessings and brokenness – trusting that God will ever and always receive us in his tender embrace. Recall these words of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis: “We can ask God everything, explain everything, recount everything. … God is always close to our heart’s door and he waits for us to open it to him.”
I was blest to have a wonderful spiritual director for almost twenty-five of my forty-two years as a priest – Father Joseph Neville of the Society of Jesus – a Jesuit. For all the many insights, challenges and words of consolation that he shared with me throughout my journey as a priest and bishop, these words have remained with me to this day, despite his passing in 2016. He would often say to me, “Joe, you’re too hard on yourself. You think you have to do it all. But you don’t! Let God be God. And in your most intimate moments of prayer, repeat these words of the Lord that he speaks to you. Repeat them over and over until they are etched into your heart. ‘There will never be a time when I will not love you!’ … ‘There will never be a time when I will not love you!’”
What about you, my friends? Do you believe those words? Do you believe that Jesus accepts you as you are? Do you believe that he died for you – not because you are perfect – but because you – like me – like Peter – and like every soul who has journeyed through life – are in need of a savior? … I hope you do! I hope and pray that we all believe those words of Jesus as he speaks to our hearts.
In his final encyclical letter, Dilexit Nos – On the human and divine love of the heart of Jesus Christ, Pope Francis reflected on the nature of God’s love for us. “The knowledge that we are loved, and our complete confidence in that love, in no way lessons our desire to respond generously, despite our frailty and our many shortcomings. … Jesus asks us for love. Once the faithful heart realizes this, its spontaneous response is one of love, not a desire to multiply sacrifices or simply discharge a burdensome duty. … No, the love of Christ ‘moves us to return love for love … and to realize that our best response to the love of Christ’s heart is to love our brothers and sisters.”
My friends, may this blessed day enrich your life of prayer. May it deepen your belief in the boundless love and mercy of God for you – as you are! And may the power of that love draw each of us closer in love and service of our sisters and brothers and ultimately to the God of all grace who embraces us as his very own!