Love and Respect

Today we honor St John the Evangelist, the "Beloved Disciple" by recounting the scene at the empty tomb when he outran Peter to arrive first, but then waited for him to catch up with him and be the first to enter. (Jn 20: 1a, 2-8).  Being young and having more leg and wind power than Peter, it's no surprise that he outraced him, but also, we can get a sense of his great love for Jesus spurring him on to run as fast as he could, after all, he was the man who would lay his head on the breast of Jesus, so great was their mutual love. And that love was what motivated him to run so fast, take Mary into his home, and spend the rest of his long life spreading the message of love in his Gospel, three letters and the Book of Revelation.
And we see another aspect of John's love:  respect...Peter was older, and the designated leader of the Twelve...He should go first.  John defers to him out of respect...a virtue that seems to be losing ground in our current society of insult and violence May we foster both love of God and neighbor and their corollary, respect, in our families  with our friends and colleagues, and with those who may not get along with us.
Bro. Rene