First reading Acts 28:16-20,30-31
In Rome, Paul proclaimed the kingdom of God without hindrance from anyone
On our arrival in Rome Paul was allowed to stay in lodgings of his own with the soldier who guarded him.
After three days he called together the leading Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them, ‘Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and would have set me free, since they found me guilty of nothing involving the death penalty; but the Jews lodged an objection, and I was forced to appeal to Caesar, not that I had any accusation to make against my own nation. That is why I have asked to see you and talk to you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that I wear this chain.’
Paul spent the whole of the two years in his own rented lodging. He welcomed all who came to visit him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching the truth about the Lord Jesus Christ with complete freedom and without hindrance from anyone.
Responsorial Psalm 10(11):4-5,7
The upright shall see your face, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
The Lord is in his holy temple,
the Lord, whose throne is in heaven.
His eyes look down on the world;
his gaze tests mortal men.
The Lord tests the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
The Lord is just and loves justice;
the upright shall see his face.
Gospel John 21:20-25
This 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.
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Follow Me!
Following Jesus is not an easy task. Often, the disciple will have to walk challenging paths that he would rather not walk. In today’s gospel, instead of fixing his eyes on Jesus, Peter lost focus and looked at John, who was following them, and he asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”. Jesus told Peter to mind his journey and focus on what mattered.
Today, Jesus reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on Him alone, follow Him faithfully, and help others in their journey. Everyone has a unique vocation and mission. Thus, we do not have to compare ourselves with others. Both Peter and John were Jesus’ apostles, and he loved both, but that did not mean that they had to follow Him in the same way. By baptism, we have been called to follow Jesus by being light for the world and loving with His love, but the way to accomplish it will vary according to the vocation that God calls us to.
Reflective question:
Am I ready to follow Jesus in the way He calls me to?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
