Gospel (Except USA)John 21:20-25This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and we know that his testimony is true. Peter turned and saw the disciple Jesus loved following them– the one who had leaned on his breast at the supper and had said to him, ‘Lord, who is it that will betray you?’ Seeing him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come, what does it matter to you? You are to follow me.’ The rumour then went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus had not said to Peter, ‘He will not die’, but, ‘If I want him to stay behind till I come.’ This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down, and we know that his testimony is true.There were many other things that Jesus did; if all were written down, the world itself, I suppose, would not hold all the books that would have to be written. Gospel (USA)John 21:20-25This is the disciple who has written these things and his testimony is true. Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?” It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. (i) Saturday, Seventh Week of Easter The final verses of the Acts of the Apostles, from which we have been reading for the seven weeks of Easter, portrays Paul under house arrest in Rome. The one who had been travelling thousands of miles to preach the gospel since his call on the road to Damascus is now confined for two years. Yet, even in these restricted circ*mstances, he remains true to his vocation, ‘proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ’. Whether a free man or a prisoner of Rome, Paul remained true to his deepest identity. The circ*mstances of our own lives may not be all we desire them to be, but we can still remain true to what is deepest and best in us, to the Lord’s call, ‘Follow me’, in the words of today’s gospel reading. Just prior to our gospel reading, Jesus had commissioned Peter to shepherd his flock. This was how Peter was to follow Jesus. In the gospel reading, Peter seems preoccupied by the Lord’s plans for the beloved disciple, ‘What about him, Lord?’ Jesus had to bring Peter back to basics, ‘Follow me’. The beloved disciple’s way of following Jesus would be different to Peter’s way. The preaching and teaching of this disciple would become the basic source of the gospel that we now know as John’s gospel. ‘This disciple is the one who vouches for these things and has written them down’, or has caused them to be written down. We are each called to follow the Lord in accordance with our own unique temperament and set of gifts and limitations. We spend our lives trying to be true to that calling, no matter how unfavourable the circ*mstances of our lives, declaring with Saint Paul, ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me’ (Phil 4:13) And/Or (ii) Saturday, Seventh Week of Easter This is the final weekday of the Easter season. The season of Easter concludes with tomorrow’s feast of Pentecost. We are back to Ordinary Time on Monday. As we conclude the Easter Season the two readings of today’s Mass are also conclusions. The first reading is the conclusion of the Acts of the Apostles from which we have been reading since Easter Sunday. It speaks of the arrival of Paul in Rome as a prisoner of the Roman authorities. Yet, even while under house arrest, Luke describes him as continuing to do what he had been doing since his meeting with the risen Lord on the road to Damascus, ‘proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ’. The gospel reading isthe conclusion of John’s gospel, from which we have also been reading since Easter Sunday. Two other key figures in the early church feature in that conclusion, Peter and the beloved disciple. Peter has just been given his work by the risen Lord of shepherding the Lord’s flock. It just remains for the work of the beloved disciple to be clarified. His work was causing the gospel to be written that we have come to know as the gospel of John. This gospel is his legacy to the church. These three very different figures were key people in the Lord’s work in the world. Yet, we all have a part to play in that work, in accordance with our gifts and our abilities. To each of us, Jesus says what he said to Peter in today’s gospel reading, ‘You are to follow me’. And/Or (iii) Saturday, Seventh Week of Easter There are three characters in this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus, Peter and the beloved disciple. Jesus had just given Peter an important role in the church, ‘Feed my lambs,feedmy sheep’. Peter then asks Jesus about the beloved disciple, ‘What about him, Lord?’ he said. In reply Jesus seems to say, ‘Look I have other plans for him. You follow me, in keeping with the role I have just given you’. Peter and the beloved disciple each had their own particular calling, and they were quite different. Peter was the chief shepherd of the church who gave his life for Jesus in the city of Rome where he was martyred. The beloved disciple inspired the writing of the fourth gospel and seems to have lived to an old age. The Lord had a different calling foreach of them, just as his call to each of us is unique to each of us. There is something each of us can do for the Lord that no one else can do. Rather than looking over our shoulders at others, as Peter was inclined to do in today’s gospel reading, we have to try and discern the particular calling the Lord has given us and then be as faithful and as generous in our response to that call as we can. We cannot be someone else; we can only be ourselves. The Lord wants us to be ourselves because he has a unique role in his work for each one of us.There is some task that we alone can do for the Lord that no one else can.18th May >> Fr. Martin's Reflections / Homilies on Today's Mass Readings (Inc. John 21:20-25) for Saturday, Seventh Week of Eastertide: ‘What about him, Lord?’.
Saturday, Seventh Week of Eastertide
Reflections (3)
Fr. Martin Hogan.
See Also
23rd May >> Fr. Martin's Reflections / Homilies on Today's Mass Readings (Inc. Mark 9:41-50) for Thursday, Seventh Week in Ordinary Time: ‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will mos21st May >> Fr. Martin's Reflections / Homilies on Today's Mass Readings (Inc. Mark 9:30-37) for Tuesday, Seventh Week in Ordinary Time: ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me’.22nd May >> Fr. Martin's Reflections / Homilies for Today's Mass Readings (Inc. Mark 9:28-30) for Wednesday, Seventh Week in Ordinary Time: ‘Anyone who is not against us is for us’.The Great Sermon Handicap, Volume 4