john 21:25
“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
In this conclusion of the Gospel of John, we hear first about a misunderstanding about Jesus’s saying to Peter about John in verse 22: “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” The confusion was whether John would remain alive until the Second Coming of Christ, but we know this is not the case. St. John did live long, though, and was the only apostle NOT to be martyred for professing the faith.
This final saying of Jesus in the Gospel of John is perhaps a reminder to us all that we can often worry about how another brother and sister in Christ is following (or not following in our eyes) the precepts of the Church. I like the very short sentence after those questions. “You follow me”. It tells us that we must focus on our own path to sainthood, not on how we think others are doing.
Finally, the last verse of the Gospel of John mentions that if he were to write all of things Jesus did, “the whole world would contain the books that would be written.” How true a statement. We often do not realize the many blessings God bestows on us over the course of every single day. Yet, we become blind to these blessings when we fail to reflect on the presence of God. Make it a goal to recall what God has done for you every single day such that you can fill your life with gratitude.
Saint of the Day
St. Anthony Mary Gianelli: 1789 – 1846
“Time is short. While we have it, let us do good.”
St. Anthony Mary Gianelli
The Healing Word 