Easter, 3rd Sunday (C) This Gospel is one of my personal favorites. It was given to me on a Teens Encounter Christ retreat in 2004. John chapter 20 ends with these words:

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

It's a perfect ending. Roll credits. Then chapter 21 opens with one final scene, like those after-credit scenes in the MCU movies. Captained by Peter, the church is sailing into the Resurrection. Jesus is waiting there with a banquet. St. Augustine tells us that the Greeks had identified 153 species of fish and therefore people from every language, culture, and race are invited into the Kingdom.

Three times Peter confesses his love for Jesus and is given his job description as the first Pope. Peter must love Jesus and he must care for the flock. If he follows Jesus faithfully, he will eventually die for Jesus as Jesus died for him.

This Wednesday, the Cardinals will enter the Conclave to elect a new pope. They will begin by celebrating Mass at 10 AM (3 AM Central Time). Cardinal Re, the same Cardinal who celebrated Pope Francis’s funeral, will pray, "O God, eternal pastor, you who govern your people with a father's care, give your church a pontiff acceptable to you for his holiness of life and wholly consecrated to the service of your people."

Is this not the same job description that Peter was given? At the end of the Mass, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the highest-ranking member of the College of Cardinals who is under the age of 80 and eligible to enter the conclave, addresses the cardinals: "After having celebrated the divine mysteries, we now enter into conclave to elect the Roman pontiff. The whole church, united with us in prayer, invokes the grace of the Holy Spirit so that we elect a worthy pastor of the entire flock of Christ." Let us pray for a Pope who loves Jesus and will feed and tend His sheep.

(4 May 2025)

Going Deeper: Spend some time this week praying for the election. You might use this prayer, taken from the Mass for the election of a Pope:

O God, eternal shepherd,
who govern your flock with unfailing care,
grant in your boundless fatherly love
a pastor for your Church
who will please you by his holiness
and to us show watchful care.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

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