were entrusted to him. He was told, Feed my lambs, feed my sheep (Jn 21:15.17).
SERMON 229P 329
Christ the shepherd, who entrusts his sheep to Peter, is also himself the sheep and the lamb
4. That's the reason why he was questioned about love, and Christ's sheep were entrusted to him. He was told, Feed my lambs, feed my sheep (Jn 21:15.17). That lamb was entrusting his lambs to him; the one who made lambs for himself was entrusting his lambs to him. How did the lamb make himself lambs? Behold the lamb of God) it was about him that it was said: Behold the lamb of God. And how did he make himself lambs? Behold him who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29). That's how he also made these ones, whom we now see clothed in white.6 If only the wolves don't gobble them up! You, Lord, please guard those you have entrusted to Peter. Guard them, please, as you also guard Peter.
Again, he is also the sheep, about which it is written, Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter (Is 53:7). He is always a lamb, because always without sin. And don't be surprised that he's without sin; In the beginning was the Word, the
Word was with God, the Word was God (Jn 1:1). Where could any sin come from in that? Take a look at his human birth. Clearly he wished to be without sin, since a virgin conceived him, no fleshly lust desired him. The conception of the son was the faith of the mother. Born of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, not contracting original sin from Adam, neither contracting sin nor adding it. Bom in innocence, living in innocence, dying in innocence. Behold the lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sin of the world.
When he was entrusting Peter with his sheep, he was entrusting him with us. When he was entrusting Peter with us, he was entrusting the Church with his members. So, Lord, entrust your Church to your Church, let your Church entrust itself to you. After all, we say, Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give the glory (Ps 115:1). I mean, what are we without you? Only Peter when he denied you three times. To show up Peter to himself, that is to show up Peter to Peter, the Lord turned his face away from him for a while—and he denied him. He turned his face toward him when he looked round—and he wept. He washed away his fault with his tears, he poured water from his eyes, and baptized his conscience.7
Let's take a look at him in one of the psalms, where it's written, I myself said in my abundance: I shall not be shaken for ever (Ps 30:6). What's that, if not Peter saying, lam with you to the death (Lk 22:33), and if I have to die for you, I will not desert you (Mt 26:36)? He says it in his abundance. What is he saying? I shall not be shaken for ever. But after he had been questioned, and had denied three times, and had wept, notice what he adds—they are his own words, you see, now repenting: I myself said in my abundance: I shall not be shaken for ever. Lord, in your good will you granted strength to my rank. You turned your face away from me, and I became dismayed (Ps 30:7). You turned your face away, and you showed me my face: I don't know what you 're saying; I don't know the man (Mt 26:70.72). There you have Peter in himself; there you have the meaning of You turned yourface away, and I became dismayed. So the Lord gave back his face, by looking round, and he became encouraged.