Homily for 3rd Sunday of Easter 2010

The other day the Pope spoke publicly of the clergy child abuse crisis for the first time. He spoke of the exposure of the problem by the media and the need for penance by the Church. He said, "Now, under the eyes of the world that speaks of our sins, we see that doing penance is grace and we see how penance is necessary" (Benedict XVII, from a Papal Homily).

Even a senior Cardinal recently acknowledged that even though the intense media attention is painful it has been important in that it has held up a mirror to the Church so that the Church can see clearly its failure to act (cf Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Vienna, The Tabet, 10 April 2010, p6).

It is often rightly said that the incidence of such abuse by clergy is no more than, and often less than, in any other group of people. That keeps it in perspective. However, the Church does publicly claim the high moral ground. So if there is wrong being done within the Church then the Church as a communion and as an institution has a greater responsibility to face the consequences publicly.

That is the second issue, the tendency to cover up such abuse in the past by bishops and others. When much of this abuse was happening, it was seen simply as the sin of an individual who could be forgiven. It was not well understood that there is a pathology at work as well. This means that a simple confession and transfer of a person does not solve the problem. Nor does it address the needs of the victim. And indeed, I would have thought that restitution to a victim was an essential part of any confession and reconciliation. But, we have been blind generally to the damage to the victim of any of our sins in our practice of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However painful, media scrutiny has done the Church an immense favour. With all this we need the humility of Peter that we read of in the Gospel today.

We need to ask pardon and be open to the loving gaze of Christ who alone can heal us. That was Peter's experience, the first shepherd of the flock, the one who would be called the first Pope. He who denied Christ three times during Jesus trial, as he warmed himself by a charcoal fire, is now asked three times by the risen Lord, "Do you love me?" How painful that must have been for Peter. He certainly repented in sorrow for his denials but this question must have been even more difficult to hear and answer because of that past failure to stand by his friend. Have you ever been put in that kind of situation? Has someone asked you, "Do you really love me?"It cuts to the heart of the matter. Peter is one of Jesus' closest friends. It is a friendship that Jesus does not deny even when he is betrayed. He now offers a new invitation to Peter.

And just as Jesus has prepared a breakfast of fish for his disciples on the shore of the lake, he commissions Peter to do the same for Jesus' flock. This is restitution indeed. Peter is now not denying Jesus but is to proclaim Jesus as Lord and Saviour and has to rise to the demands of the Gospel even if it costs him his life. As a result, on the shore of the Sea of Tiberius, there is a joyful reunion and reconciliation.

And through Peter the whole Church has the same mission. The fish, because of its appearance in the Gospels at Jesus' meals, became a kind of 'logo' for the Risen Jesus. You see it often. The feeding that the Church is commissioned to give is the very Word of God Himself. The Word given first of all in the Scripture proclaimed and then celebrated in the Sacraments. Jesus concern in his preaching and action was always with the, sick, the sinner, the victim not with who is the greatest or who sits at his right hand. That needs to be our concern too.

Today we welcome the children, some of the lambs of Jesus' flock, who are preparing with their families for their Confirmation and First Eucharist. We bless them and pray that they come to know Jesus as their friend and companion on their life ahead.

Fr Graham