“But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to
Caesar, even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation. This is the reason, then, I have requested to
see you and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel that
I wear these chains.” Acts 28:19-20
“What concern is it of yours? You follow me.” John 21:22bc
Piety
Father, free us from the
concerns of life. Make us as carefree as
the birds in the air and the lilies in the valley. Help us to walk away from what preoccupies us
and overcome all obstacles in the way of following you. Send us your Pentecost that we can be on fire
with desire to spread your Good News.
Study
Paul is chained up by the
Romans. However, those external chains
may hinder his physical movement around the city but they do not hinder his
journey toward Jesus and toward spreading the Good News even if he can only do
that from his confined quarters. He
follow Jesus despite the physical obstacles.
Peter, however, while free
remains chained by his own emotions and disposition. Maybe there remains a hint of jealousy toward
John. Could there be a “You-love-him-more-than-me”
sibling-type rivalry? Beyond that, Peter
may have walked away from his boats and his nets, but he cannot walk away from
his inner nature. Neither can we. “You follow me.”
Yet THAT is exactly what Jesus
has been asking ever since he walked under the waters of Baptism by his
cousin. Repent. “You follow me.”
Action
What concerns do we
have? Leave those aside. Wash those away in baptism. Reject those in reconciliation. Follow me to the altar. Accept Jesus in Eucharist. Accept a new journey in matrimony or holy
orders. Follow Jesus through thick and
thin, through illness and healing. Follow
Jesus to the cross. “You follow me to
the cross and beyond.”
What chains are we
wearing? Some are chains which have been
thrust upon us externally. Others are
chains that we have donned all on our own.
Throw off those chains to freely follow Jesus.
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