Today we come to the end of the Easter season. We see Paul under house arrest in Rome. But there is an air of satisfaction: the Gospel has now reached the centre of their world and will spread out from there in all directions. In the Gospel, Peter has been given his mandate to shepherd the Lord's flock and has been fully rehabilitated after his sad betrayal earlier on. But it is still the same old, impetuous Peter. Having heard about his own future, he now wants to know that of the "beloved disciple." Basically, he is told to mind his own business; it is no concern of his. Jesus says enigmatically, "Suppose I want him to stay until I come, how does that concern you? Your business is to follow me." Jesus' words then came to be understood that the "beloved disciple" was not going to die. And indeed if "beloved disciple" is taken to refer to any committed follower of Jesus, someone who has lived out the Gospel to a very high degree, then such people will continue to be found until Jesus finally comes to bring us all to himself. And, with Jesus' help, we can all aim to be "beloved disciples."