Do You Love Me?

This is not a question we usually pose flippantly.  It takes courage to reach out to someone we love with this intimate question; there may be fear or hesitancy that the answer might be "No".  Ouch...that would hurt.  We read this morning that Jesus posed that question three times to the three-time denying Peter.  Did Jesus expect a "No"?  Most likely not, for he knew Peter and his tears, but he wanted to drive home to him, perhaps for his own sake, the need to be firm and committed in his love for him if he were indeed to be the Rock upon which the Church would be built.
What if Jesus posed that question to us?  What would be our answer? If it were "Yes", would it be obvious in our behavior as well as our words?  Something to chew on today.
Bro. Rene