Jn 21:15-19
When [Jesus and the disciples] had finished breakfast, Jesus 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.” 16He then said to him a second time, “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 distressed that he had said to him a 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. 18Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
When you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted. When we are babies and kids, people dress us up and take us where we may not want to go. When we get older, we dress ourselves and go where we want to go. And when we get very old and can no longer care for ourselves, people again dress us up and take us to our doctor, which we may not like at all.
What is all this fuss about dressing up? Fashion, they say, is a statement. What we wear speaks of what we hold dear. Yellow clothing for many Filipinos is not just a fashion or in thing. Though usually associated with cowardice, yellow for the Filipino reflects the courage, sacrifice, and integrity of Ninoy and Cory Aquino. And by wearing the yellow badge of courage, we offer ourselves to their cause of change.
Jesus dresses us with the responsibility of feeding his sheep. He makes sure it fits us; thus, three times he tries and looks at us in our new clothes. We dress up for the occasion and pray that we live up to the new dress Jesus puts on us!