GOSPEL POWER | MAY 22, 2021 | SATURDAY | Saint Rita of Cascia, Religious | 7th Week of Easter

Gospel: Jn 21: 20 - 25

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; he was the one who had reclined next to Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!” So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things that Jesus did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

REFLECTION

There is a divinely ordained path for each one of us,  through which we can best glorify God. In our eyes, as  human beings, one path may appear to be better than the  others, more desirable and deserving of greater esteem. We, humans,  tend to compare. But to God, it is not the path that matters, but our  willingness to follow the one that has been ordained for us and to  let that path lead us to God. We may be strongly drawn to the path  being taken by another, but if that is not the one designated for us,  following it may only complicate and prolong our journey. There is  wisdom in minding our own path, as Jesus’ response to Peter seems to  imply. God is best honored by obedience. It is by faithfully following  the path marked out for us that we, like the beloved disciple of Jesus,  will be able to write, with our own lives, our own unique version of  the Gospel.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you deal uniquely with each one, and no two journeys are  exactly alike. Rather than compare, may we glorify you for drawing us all  to yourself. Amen