Drumbeats

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, “Master, who is the one who will betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?  You follow me.”

So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just “What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?” It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.

There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. (John 21:20-25)

This Gospel reading is the very last part of the Gospel according to John.  One wonders about the many other things Jesus did.  We can only imagine and assume they dealt with concern for the poor and promoting the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

We also wonder about the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved.   It’s a bit curious that only one was loved, according to John.  What about all the others?  And, why is that disciple reclining on Jesus’ chest during supper?  Quite the curious description.

Some have guessed that disciple was Mary Magdalene, the apostle to the apostles.  She was not a prostitute or a sinful woman – a characterization concocted by men to defame her.  All four gospels identify her, either alone or as a member of a larger group of women which includes Jesus's mother, as the first to witness the empty tomb and the first to witness Jesus's resurrection. For these reasons, Mary Magdalene in some Christian traditions is known as the apostle to the apostles.

Accordingly, and I quote, “By the express wish of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published a new Decree on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, 3 June 2016, in which the celebration of Saint Mary Magdalene was elevated and inscribed in the General Roman Calendar with the rank of Feast.”  

Of the many other things he did, Jesus gave women their just due: respect and an acknowledgement of their importance and dignity.  In fact, women supported his ministry and safe to say, women were the driving force behind the spread of faith in him.

Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper with a reclining woman-like figure sitting to Jesus' right might be his visual depiction of Mary’s role and importance and his interpretation of the Gospel.  Some have said the figure is that of John.   Perhaps, but perhaps not.

What’s most important for us is to recognize Magdalene’s importance, to celebrate her feast on July 22, 2020, and to see the Lord in our lives as she did so many years ago.  We all need to recline on Jesus' chest, and when we do, we hear his heart with its drumbeat of love.

Deacon David Pierce