Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.
The testimony is true
1) Jealousy. It is something that always appears in the Church. Having apostolic zeal is not the same as being a jealous apostle. Jealousy can lead us to forget that we are servers and missionaries of God. How many times do we make others suffer because we believe or fear someone might surpass us? This is not what serving others is all about. Rather, it is about being selfless in the work we do for God.
2) Gossip. This situation arose even among the apostles, leading them to miscommunication and ending in misunderstandings – some even believed that John would not die. A simple comment can become an avalanche of rumors. It is important for you to remember to bite your tongue and be prudent in how you speak, what you say, and how you treat others. There are moments in life when it is preferable to be quiet rather than to speak. We all know people who are talkative and spread rumors everywhere. Please hold your tongue and don’t spread rumors.
3) Testimony. Today, Jesus reminds you that the relationship you must have with Him is personal and intimate. Finding God and building up a relationship with Him makes you a happy and cheerful witness who gives his testimony in a close, simple, joyful and truthful way.
God bless you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Remember that Heaven is our goal!
