Paul's arduous journey finally ended with his arrival in Rome. He had many things to tell people, but not all of them were open to hear it. Even today, some people listen to what we have to say about the Lord with an open heart and mind, while others turn away. This should not upset us or make us angry - God works through all of these things.

Sometimes we compare ourselves to others and imagine that we are being treated unfairly. Peter questioned why he had to suffer martyrdom while the Beloved Disciple remained behind. The bit of jealousy and competition even led to a misunderstanding about whether he would remain until the Lord came again. John sets everything right and makes it clear that we go where God calls us and experience what God wants for us. The ending of the Gospel contains something very exciting - Jesus said and did many more things than we find in the Gospel - so many, in fact, that a world full of books could not contain them. The Gospel contains just enough to get us started. This reminds us not to imagine that we have Jesus 'all figured out' or that we know everything there is to know about him. A fruitful and exciting spiritual life results from keeping an open heart and mind and allowing God to challenge and surprise us.