FAUSTI - Simone di Giovanni, now he is really Peter. After these words he "turns" and sees the other disciple, the one that Jesus loved. While Peter is called to follow Jesus, this other one already follows Him, because he knows love. Now he can turn to him and see him, because he too is converted to love, thanks to the forgiveness he has received. Peter now understands the role of the other disciple. The two have always been named together, except in 6:68 where Simon speaks alone, and at the foot of the cross, (19:26-35) where the other disciple is without Simon. Now even Peter can identify with him, because he has understood who is the one for whom the Lord dies. "He who lay on His breast" is the definition of the beloved disciple, witness of love and author of the Gospel. He lies on the breast of the Son as the Son to the bosom of the Father (1:18). For this reason he is able to tell us the Son who tells us the Father. Now also Peter, like him, knows that the Lord loved him and gave his life for those who deny and for those who betray, for those who understand and for those who do not understand. He knows that God who so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son to save it (3:16). - "Lord, and of him, what will he be?" Peter questions Jesus about the future of the other disciple, who says nothing in the Gospel. Only he presents himself at the end as an eyewitness of the Pierced One (19,35) and author of the Gospel (20,31), as also confirmed by the editor (21,24). Peter cares for him. Certainly the presence of someone so "other" than him, who always anticipates him, is a problem for him. Does he think of following him, because he really follows the Lord? "If I want him to stay as long as I come, what does it matter to you?" It is not a simple allusion to the longevity of the Evangelist of the fourth Gospel: Jesus positively wants this disciple to "dwell" as long as He comes. Love is in fact a lasting witness to the coming into the world of that God who is Love (1 Jn 4:8). In Him, the profound mystery of history is revealed: the coming of the Lord consists in accepting His love for us, from which our response of love for Him and His brothers and sisters flows. "God is love; he who is in love abides in God and God abides in him. The coming of the Lord is love itself, which makes us His dwelling place. "You follow me" He does not tell Peter to follow him: he repeats to him. "You follow me. Exactly like the other disciple who represents, beyond all function, the very essence of the disciple. He is not to follow, but to imitate. He follows the best path, that of love, the crown of faith and hope, which will never wane. It was thought that that disciple would not die before the coming of the Lord. That is why it was said that John, now very old, had simply fallen asleep waiting for the coming of the Lord. " But Jesus did not tell him that "he does not die". There is the correction on the belief of the community. Jesus does not say that the beloved disciple "does not die". simply wants him to "dwell" on earth until His return. For he remains as a witness of the Lord, whose return to us now lies in our loving response to the Love received. John is truly immortal. Knowing the Love of the Lord, he points out to all the source of the water that gushes for eternal life (14:4-19:34-35). His presence, indefectible, like the God Love, calls Peter and all to that love which is the beginning, means and aim of the whole Gospel (19,35 - 20,30), which makes his witness present to us.
FAUSTI - Simone di Giovanni, now he is really Peter. After these words he "turns" and sees the other disciple, the one that Jesus loved. While Peter is called to follow Jesus, this other one already follows Him, because he knows love. Now he can turn to him and see him, because he too is converted to love, thanks to the forgiveness he has received.
RispondiEliminaPeter now understands the role of the other disciple. The two have always been named together, except in 6:68 where Simon speaks alone, and at the foot of the cross, (19:26-35) where the other disciple is without Simon. Now even Peter can identify with him, because he has understood who is the one for whom the Lord dies. "He who lay on His breast" is the definition of the beloved disciple, witness of love and author of the Gospel. He lies on the breast of the Son as the Son to the bosom of the Father (1:18).
For this reason he is able to tell us the Son who tells us the Father.
Now also Peter, like him, knows that the Lord loved him and gave his life for those who deny and for those who betray, for those who understand and for those who do not understand. He knows that God who so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son to save it (3:16). - "Lord, and of him, what will he be?" Peter questions Jesus about the future of the other disciple, who says nothing in the Gospel. Only he presents himself at the end as an eyewitness of the Pierced One (19,35) and author of the Gospel (20,31), as also confirmed by the editor (21,24).
Peter cares for him. Certainly the presence of someone so "other" than him, who always anticipates him, is a problem for him. Does he think of following him, because he really follows the Lord?
"If I want him to stay as long as I come, what does it matter to you?" It is not a simple allusion to the longevity of the Evangelist of the fourth Gospel: Jesus positively wants this disciple to "dwell" as long as He comes. Love is in fact a lasting witness to the coming into the world of that God who is Love (1 Jn 4:8). In Him, the profound mystery of history is revealed: the coming of the Lord consists in accepting His love for us, from which our response of love for Him and His brothers and sisters flows. "God is love; he who is in love abides in God and God abides in him. The coming of the Lord is love itself, which makes us His dwelling place.
"You follow me" He does not tell Peter to follow him: he repeats to him. "You follow me. Exactly like the other disciple who represents, beyond all function, the very essence of the disciple. He is not to follow, but to imitate. He follows the best path, that of love, the crown of faith and hope, which will never wane.
It was thought that that disciple would not die before the coming of the Lord.
That is why it was said that John, now very old, had simply fallen asleep waiting for the coming of the Lord. " But Jesus did not tell him that "he does not die". There is the correction on the belief of the community. Jesus does not say that the beloved disciple "does not die". simply wants him to "dwell" on earth until His return. For he remains as a witness of the Lord, whose return to us now lies in our loving response to the Love received.
John is truly immortal.
Knowing the Love of the Lord, he points out to all the source of the water that gushes for eternal life (14:4-19:34-35). His presence, indefectible, like the God Love, calls Peter and all to that love which is the beginning, means and aim of the whole Gospel (19,35 - 20,30), which makes his witness present to us.