You Will Follow Later

You Will Follow Later

Friday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, "Follow me."  John 21:18-19

Piety

The Prayer of Jesus:  When I was with them, I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. 17:12-14

Study

The meaning and use of the expression "Follow me" changes throughout John's Good News.  In the first chapter, we encounter "follow" as the command issued to the first disciples called. Jesus uses it as he recruits (calls) John, Simon Peter (Cephas), Andrew and Philip. After calling Simon Peter to leave his boats and nets, the next day he is working on another candidate with the same message.

The next day he decided to go to Galilee and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me." (1;43)

In this sense and several places, we encounter -- literally – every meaning of the verb "to follow."  

1. To accompany (especially as a disciple).  In this way, the disciples followed Jesus around Galilee.
2. To move in the same direction as; follow after, pursue, move behind in the same direction. When the people in Bethany followed Mary, they thought they were going to the tomb of Lazarus to weep and pray. They had no idea that they were going to encounter Jesus and witness a miracle that day. Mary of Bethany was a true believer and follower, and we see that in her comments when Jesus (finally!) arrives. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." 11:31-32
3. To obey (a rule or law), conform to, act in one accord.  Jesus "got in trouble" with the Jewish and Roman authorities for not obeying (following) the rules they set forth. 
4. To apply oneself to (a practice, trade, or calling).  Here we see that meaning played out in Peter's failed and then fruitful discipleship.  (Also, today's first reading from the Acts of the Apostles relates to Paul's Christ-like imprisonment – following Jesus right to jail). 

John also presents us with the symbolic meaning of "Follow me," as he relates the story of the Good Shephard. 

"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." 10:1-5

"My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (10:27)

We then start to find the higher meaning.  All this "following" must "LEAD" to something.  That leadership gets revealed in the Last Supper discourses when we learn: "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me." (12:26) Once we succeed at following Jesus, then we will achieve unity with Jesus and the Father.

John also tosses an ironic meaning of following during the trial and execution.  So, the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the whole world has gone after him." (12:19) They note that the whole world has gone after Jesus more like a lynch mob following him to Golgotha than true disciples.  

However, all the "follow" commands reach the highest expression in the action of washing of the feet.  Service and active love bring us into unity.  Unity of relationship.  Unity of mission.  Unity of Spirit.  "I have given you a model to follow so that as I have done for you, you should also do." 13:15

Action

We have the best intentions.  Like Simon Peter who announces:

Simon Peter said to him, "Master, where are you going?" Jesus answered [him], "Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later." Peter said to him, "Master, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times." 13:36-38

It does not mean we will not stumble.  Jesus knows we will stumble just like Simon Peter.  Sometimes, our following will end just outside the gates. 

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Now the other disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered the courtyard of the high priest with Jesus. But Peter stood at the gate outside. So, the other disciple, the acquaintance of the high priest, went out and spoke to the gatekeeper and brought Peter in. Then the maid who was the gatekeeper said to Peter, "You are not one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." 18:15-17

That brings us to the final encounter in John 21. You will follow later.

PS: Perhaps the final irony in studying the expression “Follow me” throughout the book of John on the USCCB website is that the search engine finds the word on every page, in every book.  But it is purely ads for social media.