LORD, WHAT ABOUT HIM?

At 28,16-20.30-31; Ps 10; Jn 21,20-25
19 MAY
The mystery of the life of every man is firmly hidden in the heart of the Father and it is an inviolable secret. No man on earth knows what will happen to him in a few seconds. All of Sacred History is the attestation of this truth. Never Noah could have thought of becoming one day for his justice the “saviour” of life on earth. Could have ever Joseph, the son of Jacob, been able to imagine being one day the viceroy of Egypt and dispensing wheat to the then known world? Moses, the saved from the waters, saves his people through the waters and leads it into an inhospitable desert for forty long years. David from a shepherd of flocks is raised to the great dignity of being the king of Israel. The future of a man is only and always hidden in the heart of the Father. It is our duty to always ask with great humility that the divine will be done on us. Jesus put this request at the foundation of his prayer: our Father. “May your will be done in my life and in the universe”. Saint Paul reveals to the Corinthians and to the Ephesians that gifts, vocations and ministries are bestowed by the Holy Spirit, in his free and unquestionable will: “As he wishes”.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? (1Cor 12,4-11.27-30). And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ (Eph 4,11-13).

Peter follows Jesus. He turns around and sees John. He asks him: “Lord, what will be of him?”. The answer is immediate: “If I want him to stay until I come, what does it matter to you? You, follow me”. What Jesus says to Peter is valid for every disciple. Every day the disciple of Jesus must ask God to reveal him his will to be carried out today for today and tomorrow for tomorrow. That’s enough. He does not have to care about other things. He might only pray so that every other disciple obeys his Lord with immediate obedience.

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.

This truth that Jesus teaches us today must govern the life of every disciple. Everyone is obliged to his obedience, to his ministry and to his vocation. Lord of the other person is God and only Him. As Jesus showed the whole world how to obey God, so every disciple must show the Church and the world how to obey Christ. By doing everyone what is asked of Him, he will become a model and an example for everyone.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us models of truth and light.