May 18, 2013
John 21: 20-25
Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!”
So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved (http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translationsStrength for the Journey
“What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” Jesus does not pull any punches with Peter in today’s Gospel. It is a helpful reminder to both Peter and us as to where our focus should be. It is so tempting in our Christian journey to be distracted by others. We can become jealous when we notice someone has more than we do, or we can become angry when others are not doing as much as we are. Regardless of the reasons, the outcome is the same: our focus is not on Christ. Jesus’ simple and blunt reminder helps to get us back on track. Worrying about someone else’s business is not of our concern; our only job is to follow Jesus, which is a full-time effort.
As you enter into this day, whom do you need to stop comparing yourself to? What other concerns are distracting you from following Jesus?
Lord we need your strength to not be distracted by others as we do our best to follow your Son. Help us to stay focus on you this day.
—Br. Pat Douglas, S.J, is Vocation Promoter for the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus and a residence hall chaplain at Creighton University, Omaha, NE. For more information on Jesuit vocations, click here.Prayer
Lord, deepen our faith so we can always trust in your passion, in your victory over death, and in your wounds. Let our prayer bring us out of ourselves. For then we begin to grasp the immensity of your sacrifice, visible in your eternal wounds. Lord, we also ask that our prayers help us to find your wounds in our needy brothers and sisters, who “carry the cross and still have not won, as Jesus has.”
—Adapted from Pope Francis’ homily, 5-13, 2013
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