The Discipleship Riddle - New Evangelizers

I love today’s Gospel reading, likely because I have always enjoyed a good riddle. In verbal play, the surface meaning is generally not the only intended meaning. This double meaning is what makes the joke funny. It also provides further proof for my personal pet theory that the shortest Gospel readings pack the biggest punches, if only we take the time to peel back the layers of the reading.

The Gospel here is not intended to be a funny riddle at all, but a serious call to each of us that can be read on many levels. The first seems more like an admonition than a call. Peter asks Jesus if that other disciple will really remain alive until the Parousia, and Jesus replies that it is none of his business. That might sound harsh, particularly if we think that Peter was merely curious, and wanted to know the facts. I think there is more to Jesus’ reply than a simple “mind your own business.”

What would have happened if Jesus had answered Peter’s question with the factual answer? Would it have deepened Peter’s faith in any way? Would it have made him a better apostle, enabling to do his own work more effectively? Or would it merely have created envy in Peter’s heart? How come he gets to live so long? Why not me? Am I not as good as he is? Do I not love you just as much? None of those questions build the kingdom in any way; they only sow the seeds of division.

How often are we like Peter, questioning other people’s service to the Lord? We see another person doing something differently than we would do it, or they do more than we think they should. Jesus might well ask us too, “what has that to do with you?” Because, ultimately, we will not be asked our opinion of someone else’s service, but we will be called to account for our own. Our real concern should be whether or not we are fulfilling the potential that God granted us. Does our work build the kingdom or sow jealousy and dissension?

If we can face these questions honestly, with the guidance of the Spirit, we will find ourselves less concerned with what other people are doing, and more concerned with what we can do for God. And then, we will add our voice s to the voice of the apostle in today’s Gospel who says that if we tried to write all the things we have seen Jesus do in our lives, there would not be books enough to hold all the stories.

What will our addition to the book be?

Copyright 2014, Carol Ann Chybowski

Carol Ann Chybowski

Carol Ann Chybowski is a long time member of the Catholic Writers Guild. She has published book reviews at various websites and appears in two volumes of A Community of Voices: An Anthology of Santa Barbara. When not busy about her parish, Carol Ann can be found knitting, gardening, or on horseback.