Day 34: Friday, April 10

Then when they had dined, Jesus says to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou Me more than these? He says to Him, Yes, Lord; Thou knowest that I care for Thee. He says to him, Feed My lambs. He says to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonah, lovest thou Me? He says to Him, Yes, Lord; Thou knowest that I care for Thee. He says to him, Shepherd My sheep. He says to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonah, carest thou for Me? Peter sorrowed because He said to him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said to Him, Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I care for Thee. Jesus says to him, Feed My sheep. Amen, amen I say to thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou didst will; but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch out thy hands and another shall gird thee, and bring thee whither thou dost not will. And this He said, signifying by what death he should glorify God. John 21:15-19

The origin and the nature of the conjunction of love to God and love towards the neighbor is the influx of God’s love for men… All of the Lord’s commandments have relation to love towards the neighbor, and in a word, they are to not do evil to the neighbor, but to do good to him… Those who do this, love God, and God loves them… in accordance with the words of the Lord. Because such is the conjunction of these two loves, John says: “He who keeps the commandments of Jesus Christ abides in Him, and He in him. If a man should say, I love God, but he hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And we have this commandment from Him, That he who loves God should love his brother also” (1 John 3:24; 4:20-21). True Christian Religion 458

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