Scriptural Reflection for May 10, 2008

Saturday of Seventh Week, morning liturgy for May 10, 2008. Scripture
used: Acts 28:16-20,30-31. Psalm 11:4.5.7. John 21:20-25. Lectionary #
302.

Biblical personalities attract us and we learn from them, especially
those who are in a good relationship with God. Today we learn about Paul's
last two years of life and about the Beloved Disciple whose "eptiaph" from
the Fourth Gospel is presented to us as the final two paragraphs of John's
Gospel. Both Paul and the Beloved Disciple (traditionally known as the
Apostle John) are good models for us in the journey of discipleship. They
help us follow the Lord Jesus Christ in a meaningful and interesting way.
Paul, of course, is very exciting as a person and the Beloved Disciple
seems to be a more mystical or contemplative person. The Dominican saying
Contemplare et aliis tradere and the Benedictine motto Ora et Labora help
us to be both active and contemplative in our prayer. The Dominicans
contemplate the mystery and then hand it on to others as their apostolate
or mission; the Benedictines tell us to Pray and Work. Paul and the
Beloved Disciple have lived this out before the Benedictines and Dominicans
came on the scene in the fifth and thirteenth centuries.
Paul is confined to a house arrest in Rome for his last two years of
life. We do not learn of his death in the Scriptures, but tradition has
him martyred in Rome' outer district. The Beloved Disciple seems to fade
into historical legends about when and where he died. Even the legends are
fascinating.
Returning to Paul in today's selection we find him inviting people,
especially prominent Jewish people to listen and dialogue with him. He
tells them he shares the hope of Israel and that he has done nothing
against the Mosaic law and the customs of his people, however, he is now a
Christian Jew and never refrains from preaching about Jesus as Lord and
Messiah and about the coming of the kingdom of God. He is a holy man both
as a Jew and a Christian. He also is a citizen of three cultures: Jewish,
Roman, and Greek which he synthesizes into his Christian calling.
Our Psalm response is a tribute to all holy followers or disciples of
God whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim or otherwise: "The just will gaze on
your face, O Lord." (Psalm 11: 7). That means the saintly do enjoy being in
the Presence of God and contemplate God's face. Both Paul and the Beloved
Disciple are examples of this grace.
We then turn to the last two paragraphs of the Gospel of John in
chapter 21 for the last mention of the Beloved Disciple. He is the one
who rested on the breast of Jesus and heard his heartbeat! He would die
like everyone else, but there was confusion among the brothers whether he
may not die and just continue on. Jesus did not say that he would not die
but if he had he remain till he comes again, that was not any of their
business! And we learn that "It is this same disciple who is witness to
these things; it is he who wrote them down and his testimony is true."
And the final verse is important for it shows we do not have the full story
about who Jesus is: "And there are many other things which Jesus did,
which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen." (This
shows us the need for contemplating the texts of the Bible each day. Like
the waters in the ocean we will never be able to sound their depths).