Peter and John Run to Empty Tomb
"I was one of the first followers of Christ"
"I was the one called the beloved!"
"I was the one who reclined at table and rested my head on the breast of Jesus."
"I was the one who was at the foot of the Cross, while all the other schleps fled."
"I was the one who was given Mary, his Mother as my Mother."
How easy it would be for St. John to say all of the above. In fact, he could add today, the following, "I was the one who beat the old man Peter to the tomb!" Humanly speaking, by mere human standards, John had the best record than all of the apostles. In fact, he should have been, humanly speaking, the first Pope, not Peter. However, John, looked to see what God willed. He beats Peter to the tomb, but he allows Peter to enter first. Call it a spiritual interpretation, but John recognizes Peter’s authority right from the start. It is this obedience but more importantly, this humility, we need to see in John. St. John never said any of the above, although they are all true, because John was humble. John didn’t focus on the "I", but rather the "He", what "He", God wanted.
Today we can learn a lot from the humility of St. John. The litany of humility by Cardinal Merry del Val, says. "that other be chosen and I set aside." John allowed Peter and others to be chosen and he set aside, despite having a better ‘record’. How easy it could be for us to say... "I have been a Catholic all my life." "I go to daily mass all the time." "I have attended the St. Pius X prayer group, bible study and catechism class from the very start!" Guess what, that’s wonderful, but God will choose who he wants and when he wants, no matter what the record looks like! Humility sees things with the eyes of God and as He sees things. God will put us where he wants us and today he as placed you at Calvary. Today, you have been placed at the Sacrifice of Calvary to receive His Body and Blood here at this Mass.
Rev. Mr. John A Sistare
12/27/99
Feast of St. John
St. Pius X daily Mass
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