Focus On Following Me

Today, we read the last few verses of the Acts of the Apostles and St. John’s Gospel. In the first reading (Acts 28:16-20,30-31), Paul has arrived in Rome and immediately starts teaching about Christ while still under house arrest.

Luke ends it here to show that the growing church has spread well beyond Jerusalem and has reached Rome – the center and capital of the world as they knew it.

In the gospel (John 21:20-25), the Lord asked Peter to simply follow him, while Peter was concerned about the other disciple whom Jesus loved. The Lord is asking us too: “What is it to you of that person’s past, of that person’s choices?”

All the Lord wants is for you to follow him and to love those around you openly. Just stay focused on him, always. Our preconceived notions are irrelevant, our assumptions of who people are or what they do – well, you know what they say about assuming.

When the Lord says, “Come, follow me,” it is an open invitation of love. The lord wants you, all in, to give of yourself to him. Stop worrying about the other guy, stop comparing what you have and who you are to others, and stop playing the role of the superior being.

John tells us that though a lot has been written about Christ, there is so much more that could be written. What we have is all that we need for our faith – if we are willing to accept it. We too have a story to tell, and it is about our faith.

By our lives, may we all tell the story of how Jesus loved us and blessed us. May others see that story in us and may they want to know more about the story. Amen.

Fr Joseph Osho