Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
7TH WEEK OF EASTER
Psalter: Week 3 / (White)
St. John I, pope & martyr
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 11: 4, 5, 7: The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
1st Reading: Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31
Upon our arrival in Rome, the captain turned the prisoners over to the military governor, but permitted Paul to lodge in a private house, with the soldier who guarded him.
After three days, Paul called together the leaders of the Jews. When they had gathered, he said to them: “Brothers, though I have not done anything against our people, or against the traditions of our fathers, I was arrested in Jerusalem, and handed over to the Romans. They examined me, and wanted to set me free, for they saw nothing in my case that deserved death.
But the Jews objected, so I was forced to appeal to Caesar without the least intention of bringing any case against my own people. Therefore, I have asked to see you, and speak with you, since it is because of the hope of Israel, that I bear these chains.”
Paul stayed for two whole years, in a house he, himself, rented, where he received, without any hindrance, all those who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God, and taught the truth about Jesus Christ, the Lord, quite openly and without any hindrance.
Gospel: John 21: 20-25
Peter looked back and saw that the disciple Jesus loved was following as well, the one who had reclined close to Jesus at the supper, and had asked him, “Lord, who is to betray you?”
On seeing him, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain until I come, is that any concern of yours? Follow me!”
Because of this, the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die.
Yet Jesus did not say to Peter, “He will not die,” but, “Suppose I want him to remain until I come back, what concern is that of yours?” It is this disciple who testifies about the things and has written these things down, and we know that his testimony is true.
But Jesus did many other things; if all were written down, I think the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.
REFLECTION:
“To bear witness to Jesus.”
Today’s Gospel continues the passage we have reflected on yesterday. This passage is considered as the second conclusion found in the Gospel of John (cf. Jn. 20:30-31).
Peter was asking Jesus about the fate of the Beloved Disciple after Peter received his own mandate from Jesus. Jesus told Peter to focus on his mandate rather than being overly concerned about what would happen to the Beloved Disciple.
In John’s Gospel, the Beloved Disciple is presented as the model disciple, the ideal disciple from whom every follower of Jesus could take an inspiration. As Christians, it is always good to have a model to emulate.
However, we must also be cautious about our tendency to be overly concerned of the ideals that, at times, our feet tend to be already detached from the ground.
Today’s Gospel emphasizes the role of the Beloved Disciple to bear witness to what Jesus did and said. Jesus, by saying that Peter should follow him, implies that Peter can take inspiration from the model disciple without having to be detached from the reality of his own life.
Besides, the context of Peter is different from the context of other disciples. In his own context, he is exhorted to follow Jesus.
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