Word to the Wise
Saturday, June 4, 2022 - 7th Week of Easter - Sat morning
[Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 and John 21:20-25]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." [John]
JUNE 4 ST. PETER OF VERONA, op [First Dominican martyr]
The long scriptural journey through the Acts of the Apostles (Evangelist Luke) and the Last Supper discourse plus the Johannine Appendix [John and ?] comes to an end today with St. Paul in Rome and a strange little dialogue between Peter and Jesus over the fate of the "Beloved Disciple."
Tradition that moves beyond the Acts of the Apostles tells us that both Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome during the reign of Nero, between 64 and 68 A.D. during a persecution. Another tradition tells us that the apostle John died of old age in Ephesus around 98 A.D.. Peter's curiosity about John's ultimate end was apparently a concern in the community for which the "appendix" was written and attached to the main body of the gospel. Jesus' reply to Peter is basically, "Mind your own business! Just follow me!"
Concern for the ultimate destination of another person in God's plan is common. We want to see the ones we love (including our pets!) in heaven and the ones we hate to be in hell (or at least a LONG time in purgatory)! None of this is our "business." We must follow Jesus to the best of our ability and share his love and teaching with others in the hope that we can share a blessed eternity with them. But we are not the ultimate judges. Heroic martyrdom like that of Peter (the apostle and the Dominican) has been the noble but terrible fate of some disciples. But the Beloved Disciple died of old age, a fate that many more experience. Either way, the ultimate destination is the beatific vision. In the meantime, Jesus' instruction is simple: "Follow me!" That is the path to the destination we desire. AMEN