Feed My Sheep!

Feed My Sheep!

Fr. Daniel Berrigan

St. Joseph the Worker

John 21:15-21

15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? ” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.” “Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”

20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”

21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”

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Daniel Berrigan was one of the individuals who inspired my call to ministry. He wrote:

“Sometime in your life, hope that you might see one starved man, the look on his face when the bread finally arrives. Hope that you might have baked it or bought or even kneaded it yourself. For that look on his face, for your meeting his eyes across a piece of bread, you might be willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even.”

-- Daniel Berrigan

These words have guided me through the years. Each time I look into the eyes of one person fed, clothed, or given a needle, I find myself "willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even."

For I see the face of Jesus, hearing Dan's words, "If you are going to follow Jesus, you had better look good on a cross."

And in looking at the face of Jesus, (homeless individuals, gang members, people in prison, and on death row), several thoughts have come to mind.

First Peggy Donovan reflected: "Each of us is the Word of God spoken only once," meaning we have only one life to give, and so be "The Word of God".

Secondly, God is love, in each one of us, a piece of love can be found. I have faced some of the craziest and most dangerous people, and in each one love radiates. In each person encountered rather than seeing the dirt, the anger, one sees love. Jesus is but one reflection of love.

We see that love when we walk with people one on one, talking, and caring for them, "For when you look into his eyes you will be willing to lose a lot."

During these past months of illness, being beaten and threatened, the words of?Christ are a reminder:

“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.”

19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God.

I realize my time is short and so my prayer[ is that each one of us will take that road in whatever occupation we work, for in the sacredness of all work as taught by St. Joseph, we can be "willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even,” in giving to the homeless, the thirsty, the stranger, those in prison, mentally ill, and those naked.

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Fr. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.

P.O. Box642656

San Francisco, CA 94164

www. temenos.org