June 7, 2025
Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter - Mass in the Morning
Lectionary: 302
Reading 1
When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,
with the soldier who was guarding him.
Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.
When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers,
although I had done nothing against our people
or our ancestral customs,
I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.
After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,
because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.
But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar,
even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.
This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you
and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel
that I wear these chains."
He remained for two full years in his lodgings.
He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance
and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 7b) The just will gaze on your face, O
Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is in his holy temple;
the LORD's throne is in heaven.
His eyes behold,
his searching glance is on mankind.
R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD searches the just and the wicked;
the lover of violence he hates.
For the LORD is just, he loves just deeds;
the upright shall see his face.
R. The just will gaze on your face, O Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I will send to you the Spirit of truth, says the Lord;
he will guide you to all truth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/060725.cfm
Commentary on Acts
28:16-20,30-31
Today we complete the readings for the Easter season. During
these seven weeks, we have been going through the Acts of the Apostles. As with
most of the books which form the liturgical readings, much had to be omitted,
but at least we do get a general picture of the extraordinary developments of
the Church from a small group of uneducated fishermen to a chain of communities
which, in such a short time, reached to the very centre of their known
world—the empire’s seat of government in Rome. This would be the new centre
from which it would over the centuries expand to every corner of the world.
Yesterday we saw Paul in the presence of King Agrippa and
Bernice, while Festus explained the reason for Paul’s arrest to them. The
following day, Paul was again brought before the king and, for the third time
in Acts, gave them an account of how he had tried to destroy the followers of
Christ only to experience his own conversion on the way to Damascus. At the end
of the speech, Festus said he thought it was all crazy nonsense, but both he
and the king agreed that Paul had done nothing to warrant punishment. If he had
not appealed to the emperor, they agreed, he could have been released.
We are then told of the long and eventful sea journey to
Rome, which included a storm and being shipwrecked on the island of Malta. When
they eventually arrived in Rome, members of the community were there to welcome
them on the Appian Way, the ancient highway that led to the city of Rome.
It is at this point that today’s reading begins. We are told
that when Paul entered Rome, he was allowed to live by himself with a soldier
who was guarding him. It was clearly a benign form of house arrest. Another
reading says that “when he entered Rome, the centurion handed the prisoners
over to the commander. But Paul was allowed to live outside the [Praetorian]
camp.” As noted in the Jerusalem Bible:
“…this additional information agrees with what in fact must
have happened. By the concession of custodia militaris (military
guard) the prisoner had his own lodgings, but his right arm was chained to the
left of the soldier in charge.”
Clearly, the prisoner was not regarded as dangerous.
As he did so often in the past, Paul made contact with the
local Jews. The decree of the emperor Claudius, which, we remember, had caused
Apollos and Priscilla to leave Rome, had been allowed to lapse and Jews now had
returned to Rome with their leaders. Paul wants to establish good relations
with the Jews of Rome as soon as possible. He insists that he has nothing as
such against his own people, although it was certain Jews who did cause him a
great deal of trouble and who were ultimately responsible for his having to
appeal to Caesar. Ironically, as we saw, Governor Festus and King Agrippa had
agreed that Paul had done no wrong and could have been released if he had not
made his appeal to Caesar. In fact, as Paul had emphasised all along:
…it is for the sake of the hope of Israel that I am bound
with this chain.
In the final sentences of Acts we are told that Paul spent
two years in his place of arrest:
…proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the
Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.
He was able to receive all who came looking for him and was
able to preach without hindrance. The two years represents the legal period
during which he could be kept in custody. Within that period his case would
have to be tried, so it is likely that, at the end of the period, he was
released. At the end of his short letter to Philemon, he seems to be looking
forward to his release and asks that a room be made ready for him in Philemon’s
house. During this time also he would have written his letter to the Christians
at Colosse and the letter to the Ephesians (although the immediate authorship
of this letter by Paul has been questioned), as well as his note to Philemon.
As the New International Version Bible points
out, there are a number of indications that Paul was released from his
imprisonment at the end of two years:
- Acts
stops abruptly at this time;
- Paul
wrote to churches expecting to visit them soon; so he must have
anticipated a release (see Phil 2:24; Philem 22);
- A
number of the details in the Pastoral Letters do not fit into the
historical setting given in the book of Acts. Following the close of Acts,
these details indicate a return to Asia Minor, Crete and Greece;
- Tradition
indicates that Paul went to Spain. Even if he did not go, the very fact
that a tradition arose suggests a time when he could have taken that
journey.*
It is clear that the sudden ending of Acts indicates that it
is not an ending at all but a beginning. Luke’s story had begun with Jesus’
‘mission statement’ made in the synagogue at Nazareth. From there, Jesus
progresses steadily south to Jerusalem, which is the climax of his life and
work—through passion, death and resurrection. The story is then taken up with
Acts, which begins with the Pentecost experience when the baton of Jesus’
mission is passed to his disciples. It begins where Jesus left off, in
Jerusalem, and from there spreads progressively to the surrounding territories
and then on to Macedonia and Greece and ultimately to the heart of the empire
and the centre of their world—Rome. The gospel is being preached freely in the
very heart of the Roman Empire.
Christianity, from being a tiny movement of a small number
of Jews, is now a world phenomenon. From now on, its mission is to make the
Kingdom a reality in every corner of our planet. There are many more triumphs
and tragedies to come. But to have reached Rome in such a short time was little
short of miraculous. So, these final sentences sound an understandable note of
triumph for the fledgling Church.
_______________________________________
*Regarding Paul’s ministry after his
discharge, his second imprisonment, and his death, see the section:
“Introduction to the Letters of St Paul” in the Jerusalem Bible.
Comments Off
Commentary on John 21:20-25
Peter has been given his mandate to shepherd the Lord’s
flock and been fully rehabilitated after his sad betrayal earlier on. But it is
still the same old, impetuous Peter. Having heard about his own future,
he now wants to know that of “the disciple Jesus loved”, i.e. the ‘beloved
disciple’. Basically, Peter is told to mind his own business; it is no concern
of his. Jesus says enigmatically,
If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is
that to you? Follow me!
As a result, Jesus’ words became distorted and were
understood to mean that the ‘beloved disciple’ was not going to die. He
would stay alive until the Lord came. But this is strongly denied by the
author of the chapter (biblical scholars strongly believe that this final
chapter is not by the author of the rest of this Gospel).
The New American Bible comments here:
“This whole scene takes on more significance if the disciple
is already dead. The death of the apostolic generation caused problems in
the church because of a belief that Jesus was to have returned first.
Loss of faith sometimes resulted (see 2 Peter 3:4).”
Another very different explanation is possible if the
‘beloved disciple’ is not identified with John, but with the symbolic figure
who represents the perfect follower of Jesus. This person appears four
times in John’s Gospel—and perhaps five, if we identify him with one of the
unnamed disciples of John the Baptist who spent a day with Jesus in the company
of Andrew (see John 1:35). At this point, he is not called the ‘beloved
disciple’, as he is just beginning to be a follower. Later in the Gospel,
he is identified on four different occasions of special significance—leaning on
the breast of Jesus at the Last Supper; standing at the foot of the Cross;
going with Peter to the empty tomb on the day of the resurrection and
understanding the meaning of the arrangement of the cloths (something which
meant nothing to Peter). Finally, he is seen as the one who recognised as “the
Lord” the stranger who told the disciples where the fish were to be found.
Hopefully, all through the history of the Church there will
be ‘beloved disciples’, people who have lived out the Gospel to a very high
degree. And such people will continue to be found until Jesus finally
comes to bring us all to himself.
For our own lives, in the light of this passage, we can ask
ourselves once again what we see to be the mission that Jesus has for us at
this time. And second, while we do of course need to be responsible for
the well-being of our brothers and sisters, our main concern is to focus on
where God is calling us and not be too worried about what he expects from
others.
On a final note, the author claims to have witnessed
everything that has been written, but that it still is only a fraction of all
the things that Jesus said and did. We would indeed love to know what
some of those unreported words and actions were, but we have more than enough
with the existing texts to provide a challenge to us for the rest of our lives.
And with the imminent approach of Pentecost, we remember that the Spirit is
there to continue teaching and guiding us and leading us ever deeper into the
meanings of God’s Word.
Comments Off
https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/e1077g/
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
like Mary, the women and the
apostles on the day before the first Pentecost, we are gathered in prayer.
Let the Holy Spirit descend
also upon us, that we may become enthusiastic believers and faithful witnesses
to the Person and the good news of Jesus.
May our way of living bear witness that Jesus is our
light and life, now and forever.
Gospel Reading - 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." 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.
Reflection
Today’s Gospel begins with Peter’s question: “Lord, what about
him?” Jesus begins to speak with Peter.
•
John 21: 20-21: Peter’s question concerning
John’s destiny. At this moment, Peter turned back and saw the disciple whom
Jesus loved and asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus had just indicated Peter’s
destiny, and now Peter wants to know from Jesus what is this other disciple’s
destiny. It is a matter of curiosity which does not deserve a proper response
from Jesus.
•
John 21: 22: The mysterious response of Jesus.
Jesus says, “If I want him to stay behind until I come, what does it matter to
you? You are to follow Me.” A mysterious utterance which ends again with the
same affirmation as before: Follow me! Jesus seems to want to bridle Peter’s
curiosity. Just as each one of us has his/her own history, in the same way each
one of us has his/her own way of following Jesus. Nobody is the exact copy of
another person. Each one of us should be creative in following Jesus. This also
recalls the laborers in the vineyard (Mt 20: 1-15). Each of us also has our own
history and relationship with Jesus which is personal and directed by Him if we
accept it.
•
John 21: 23: The Evangelist clarifies the
meaning of Jesus’ response. Ancient tradition identifies the Beloved Disciple
with the Apostle John and says that he died when he was almost one hundred
years old. Putting together John’s old age with Jesus’ mysterious response, the
Evangelist clarifies things saying, “The rumor 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 until I come; what does that
matter to you?’” Perhaps, it is a warning to be attentive to the interpretation
of the words of Jesus and not base one’s beliefs on any rumor.
•
Peter’s questions, and the assumptions of the
other disciples, could be an example of the sins of pride (hyperēphania), sadness or envy (lypē),
and dejection or acedia (akēdia) in
terms of the concepts of the fourth century monk Evagrius Ponticus, among
others. Rather than rejoicing at the favorable treatment they thought John had,
Peter wanted to know the details. Then the rumors and the gossip went out.
•
John 21: 24: Witness of the value of the Gospel.
Chapter 21 is an added appendix when the final redaction of the Gospel was
made. Chapter 20 ends with this statement: “There were many other signs that
Jesus worked in the sight of His disciples, but they are not recorded in this
book. These are recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through His name.” (Jn
20: 30-31). The Book was ready but there were many other facts about Jesus.
This is why, on the occasion of the definitive edition of the Gospel, some of
these “many facts” about Jesus were chosen and added, very probably to clarify
better the new problems at the end of the first century. We do not know who
wrote the definitive redaction with the appendix, but we know it was someone in
the community who could be trusted, because he writes, “This is the disciple
who vouches for these things and has written them down and we know that his
testimony is true.”
•
John 21: 25: The mystery of Jesus is
inexhaustible. A beautiful thought to conclude the Gospel of John: “There was
much more that Jesus did; if it were written down in detail, I do not suppose
the world itself would hold all the books that would be written.” It seems an
exaggeration, but it is the truth. Never will anyone be capable of writing all
the things that Jesus has done and continues to do in the life of people who
follow Jesus!
For Personal Consideration
•
Is there something in your life which Jesus has
done and which could be added to this book which will never be written?
•
Peter is very concerned about the other disciple
rather than live his own “Follow Me” at that moment. Does this also happen to
you?
•
Several Church Doctors and Fathers talk about
overcoming vices such as envy and pride with virtues. Many of their ways of
life are an answer to “Follow Me.” How well informed are you about these and
how might they be put to use personally in answering His call?
•
One’s whole life is a relationship with Jesus.
This is true for others as well. When there is gossip about another person, do
you think Jesus says “What concern is it of yours?” at those moments too?
Concluding Prayer
Yahweh in His holy temple!
Yahweh, His throne is in heaven; His eyes watch over the world,
His gaze scrutinizes the children of Adam. (Ps 11: 4)
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét