Do you love me?

In today's Gospel, Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?"
This is more than a rhetorical question. For me, the repetition indicates seriousness and a call to go deeper, and at the same time, an effort to make oneself understood by taking the other's perspective. Jesus wanted Peter to respond in a way that goes beyond a mere yes or no; certainly, it will be a response that would impact Peter's life.
Since this took place after Jesus' resurrection, I think it emphasizes that this love should be seen as more than just an intimate you-and-I relationship with Jesus.
To love Jesus is to assume His cause, to feed His sheep.
To love Jesus is to assume His mind and His heart, that is, to be in total availability to the Father's will.