2026/04/13

243. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: The Lord's Prayer and the Seven Blessedness I

The training of Revelation produces an entirely different effect from the training Paul gave to believers using the Old Testament and the Psalms (cf. 1 Cor 14:26). In the Old Covenant, not only is the name of Jesus absent, but there is also a tragic history in which the people of the Old Covenant missed the opportunity to call God "Father." This is the history in which, despite God's promise to David concerning his son Solomon—"I will be his father, and he shall be my son" (2 Sam 7:14) —it did not fulfil because Solomon turned away from God (cf. 1 Kings 11:1–10). This history has been at the root of their lament. Having failed to attain a father-son relationship with God, they compiled the Old Testament, to which they added the Song of Songs. That was because, although there is scarcely any mention of God in the Song of Songs, it nevertheless held the potential to bring about a dramatic shift in interpretation, substituting the love between a man and a woman for the love of God. 

By adding the Song of Songs to the Old Testament, even the people who had failed to attain a father-son relationship with God could have their history reaffirmed through a passionate drama of love: God's love is poured out upon the people unceasingly; guided by that "love," and though they may stray at times, the people who yearn for God eventually encounter Him. However, when images of marriage—such as lovers, bride and groom, or husband and wife—are used as an analogy for the relationship between God and the people, there is a danger that people will eventually come to delude themselves into thinking they are God's equals. They begin to entertain ideas that would be inconceivable if they knew that God and the people were in a parent-child relationship. The Gospel of John records: "This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but also called God his Father, making himself equal with God" (Jn 5:18). Yet this is at odds with the mind of Jesus, who said, "For the Father is greater than I" (14:28). 

It was a deep sense of jealousy held by those who, upon hearing Jesus' words, "My Father is working still, and I am working" (Jn 5:17), deluded themselves into thinking they were equal to God, directed towards Jesus, who had called God his Father. To them, Jesus' subsequent words, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever he does, that the Son does likewise" (5:19), must surely have fallen on deaf ears. Their deep jealousy towards Jesus, who called God his Father, was replaced by a desire to kill him. In contrast, believers who have been brought into the new covenant accomplished by Jesus have accepted Jesus, believed in his name, and been given the power to become children of God (cf. 1:12); therefore, it is entirely proper for them to call God "Father." This was precisely the true relationship between God and humanity that God had long awaited. 

Jesus taught the Lord's Prayer to his disciples. It was the only prayer he taught, saying, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this" (Mt 6:8–9). The Lord's Prayer, which begins with the invocation "Our Father who art in heaven," contains seven petitions. In the Book of Revelation, there are seven blessedness that guide believers so that these petitions may become their own (see the diagram above, "Prophetic Composition of the Book of Revelation"). As can be seen on the left of the diagram, there is a considerable distance between the First Blessedness (cf. Rev 1:3) and the Second Blessedness (cf. Rev 14:13). This illustrates that such sustained training is necessary for believers to come to understand the true meaning of addressing God as "Our Father who art in heaven" and then praying, "Hallowed be thy name." 

Believers who pray "Hallowed be thy name" undertake the training of Revelation so that their own memories may be purified and they may acquire, with the same heart as Jesus, the truth that God is our Father in heaven. This explains why more than half of the training contained within the 22 chapters of the Book of Revelation is devoted to the first petition of the Lord's Prayer. Thus, the petition "Hallowed be thy name" leads to the First Blessedness of Revelation: "Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near" (Rev 1:3). Those who follow this blessedness are called to incorporate the practice of reading the prophetic words of Revelation and listening to that voice into their daily routine of attending Mass, just as naturally as drinking water. 

Various events present themselves to the believers living out this daily routine of attending Mass. At times, like Jesus, who said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head" (Mat 8:20), they will experience such a whirlwind of events that they have no place to rest. Faced with such real-life events, the consciousness of the trainee of Revelation, like the author of Revelation, begins to observe those events. Thus, the subsequent prayer, "Thy kingdom come," leads to the Second Blessedness in Revelation: "'Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord henceforth.' 'Blessed indeed,' says the Spirit, 'that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!'" (Rev 14:13).

Maria K.M. 

(Notice)

A new article has been posted on the blog, The Wind of Patmos. It is a translation of an article I submitted to and was published in the Japanese internet magazine, Catholic Ai.

 

 2026/04/06

242. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Implementing Affinity

The process of enabling believers to experience Jesus' words—"You know him [the Spirit of truth], for he dwells with you, and will be in you" (Jn 14:17)—and the process of fostering spontaneity to implement affinity with the Holy Spirit sent in Jesus' name proceed simultaneously. Therefore, it is essential that the name of Jesus be placed within the text of the book of training for that (cf. this blog No. 240). The mission of the Old Testament came to an end when it was quoted by Jesus in the Gospels. At that moment, the words of the Old Testament became connected to Jesus, were perfected by Him, and came to live as new words of God within the Gospels. Therefore, I believe it is sufficient for their origins and background to be explained only as necessary.

Christians are believers who, through the New Covenant, have been given the power to become children of God by accepting Jesus and by believing in the name of Jesus (cf. Jn 1:12). One of the purposes for which the New Testament was established is to constantly infuse the new Word into their new memory. The memory of believers baptised in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is a new wineskin. For the words of the New Testament poured into this vessel to demonstrate a perfect affinity with the Holy Spirit sent in the name of Jesus, those words must mature into recognition. The Book of Revelation was given to meet this need. It is the pastors of the Church who can publicly impart this training—optimised by the Holy Spirit sent in the name of Jesus—to the believers.

We, believeres, need only obey the words of the Book of Revelation, recognised by the Church as canonical, with the simplicity of a child, and allow these prophetic words to enter through our senses (cf. Rev 1:3). The voice reading the Book of Revelation flows, purifying the believer's senses, and enters the place of memory designated by the Holy Spirit without remaining in knowledge. It can then autonomously form the worldview of Jesus Christ as part of the believer's unconscious memory. This worldview becomes the foundation upon which the words of the New Testament, previously stored in the believer's knowledge, become recognition. In this way, by reading the Book of Revelation daily, as naturally as drinking water, the spontaneity to implement the affinity with the Holy Spirit—sent in the name of Jesus—is cultivated. Therefore, the amount read at any one time may be whatever is appropriate for the individual sincerely engaging in this training.

This resembles the parable in Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus began by saying, "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property" (Mat 25:14). The master entrusted his property to his servants according to their respective abilities. For believers, this is the training in reading aloud the Book of Revelation. Even if one can only manage a single verse on a given day, if one continues this daily, one can yield a profit. That is because the Holy Spirit is at work. However, if one fails to understand the power of the Book of Revelation and buries it in the ground, one will be called a "wicked and slothful servant" (25:26) and cast out into the outer darkness as a worthless servant. In this passage, the "master" admonishes us: "For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away" (Mat 25:29). What is meant by "what he has" is the recognition of God's Word.

Therefore, Revelation states: "Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near" (Rev 1:3). The phrase "for the time is near" here anticipates the words written in the final chapter of Revelation: "'And behold, I am coming soon.' Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book" (22:7). The Word is waiting to share His recognition with "those who hear, and who keep what is written therein."

There are seven "blessings" in the Book of Revelation, and they serve as a major driving force propelling the entire book forward. The diagram from the revised edition of Prophetic Composition of the Book of Revelation (April 2026 edition) shown above offers a new perspective on the "seven blessings" of Revelation. The reason the "seven blessings" possess the function we have discussed in this blog and serve as a driving force is that these blessings are rooted in the "Lord's Prayer," which is placed at the centre of the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. The Lord's Prayer, which Jesus taught us saying, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this" (Mat 6:8–9), consists of seven petitions and begins by addressing God as our Father in heaven.

In response to this, the opening of the Book of Revelation states: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place; and he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John" (Rev 1:1). The training of Revelation is indeed the will of God, the Heavenly Father. Next time, I would like to delve deeper into the seven blessings that answer the Lord's Prayer.

Maria K. M.

 

 

 2026/04/05

 2026/03/30

241. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: The Two Eagles of Patmos

As we discussed two issues ago, Paul realised that his mission lay in welcoming Peter—to whom Jesus had entrusted the staff of the "Good Shepherd"—into the community at Rome. When the time was right, he wrote to Timothy: "When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Tro'as, also the books, and above all the parchments" (2 Tim 4:13). Knowing that this referred to Peter, Timothy set out for Rome, accompanied by Peter and Mark. Luke was with Paul. At this time, Peter and Paul were likely fully aware of their impending deaths, and they must have gathered to discuss concrete plans for preserving the record of Jesus' deeds. Paul could not have failed to remember John, who was regarded as one of the pillars in Jerusalem (cf. Gala 2:9). They expected John to devise a programme of spiritual formation to support the mission of the Gospel. 

Likewise, Peter never forgot the voice of the risen Jesus when he had asked Him about John's future: "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" (Jn 21:22). This had happened immediately after Jesus had entrusted his shepherd's staff to Peter (cf. 21:15–17) and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go" (21:18). John the Evangelist explains, "This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God" (21:19), but underlying this was a foreshadowing that Peter would be "girded" by Paul and taken to Rome. 

In this way, the Gospel of John contains implications designed to prompt the reader to become aware of its connections with other books of the New Testament. Thus, when we consider Jesus' words to Peter—"If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?"—we find that this is followed by the equally suggestive commentary: "The saying spread abroad among the brethren that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, 'If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" (Jn. 21:23). This implication, placed at the end of the Gospel of John, suggested that John would be reunited with Jesus. That was because John would later write the Book of Revelation on the island called Patmos (cf. Rev 1:9). 

This is evident from the opening words of Revelation: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place; and he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John" (Rev 1:1). The author continues, writing from a third-person perspective: "[John] who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw" (1:2). This resonates with the following context of the Gospel of John, which is likewise written as a third-person testimony: "This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true" (Jn 21:24). From this, too, we can read an implication in the commentary at the end of the Gospel of John. 

Furthermore, the words of Revelation that follow—"Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near" (Rev 1:3)—echo the closing words of the Gospel of John: "But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (Jn 21:25). The Holy Spirit chose to preserve the "things which Jesus did" in the memories of believers through experience, rather than in a book. The voice reading the words written in Revelation causes those who hear it to retain those words in their memory. This functions as a training that infuses the "revelation of Jesus Christ" into believers' senses and allows the worldview of Jesus Christ to be autonomously formed in their memories, employing a learning approach akin to deep learning. 

By voluntarily repeating this training day after day, the patterns of information transmission within the believer’s memory are restructured in a way that turns towards God. Specific neural pathways become more easily activated. As these pathways are frequently recognised and strengthened through contact with the Word of God stored in the believer's memory on various occasions, their perspective changes, and within them a distinction begins to emerge between God and human information, as the disciples distinguished Jesus from other people in the Gospel. The greatest benefit of continuing the training of Revelation is that this discernment is granted to every believer. It fosters an affinity with the Holy Spirit, sent in the name of Jesus, within the trainees, yielding significant benefits to the Church. 

The Holy Spirit promised by Jesus descended with a specific mission as "the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name" (Jn 14:26). That mission is for the Holy Spirit, sent in the name of "Jesus," to collaborate with us who are "Christians," so that the two names may become one, thereby realising the reappearance of the work of Jesus Christ in the world. At the heart of that, as we have discussed, lies the priesthood of the New Covenant brought by Jesus, the royal office endowed as a shepherd, the apostolate, and the prophetic office to collaborate with the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation, which were written for these, were the two inseparable eagles of Patmos. 

Maria K. M.

 2026/03/23

240. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: A Blow

On the road to Damascus, the Apostle Paul fell to the ground in light from heaven and heard the voice of Jesus. Subsequently, Paul became equipped with an affinity for the Holy Spirit, who was sent in the name of Jesus, through the experience of earnestly learning about Jesus from the principal Apostles. However, it is impossible to apply his experience — as one chosen by God for a specific purpose — in the same way to all believers. In his letter to the Gentile believers, Paul wrote the following exhortation: "What then, brethren? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification" (1 Cor 14:26). 

Paul may have believed that by incorporating teachings about Jesus Christ into training based on the Jewish prayer practices in which he was raised, he could create a "spiritual environment" capable of transforming the community from within. The Psalms, whilst a compilation of prophetic words by those who had longed for the Saviour yet never saw him, are structured in such a way as to direct human sensibilities towards God. Yet Paul must have harboured doubts as well. That is because, as Luke wrote in his Gospel, Jesus said, "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it upon an old garment; if he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old" (Lk 5:36). There is such a vast gap between the prophecies of the Old Testament and what Jesus fulfilled. 

Jesus continued, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins" (Lk 5:37–38). The wineskins refer to the memories of the faithful who find their foundation in the Mass and the prayers of the Church. In the Mass and the prayers of the Church, the Old Testament is read first, followed by the chanting of the Psalms. After that, the Epistles and the Gospels are read. Consequently, the words of the New Testament that were read there will be subsequently put into the memory of the faithful, who have already resonated with the readings from the Old Testament and the Psalms. They are, so to speak, new wine put into old wineskins. Jesus warns that there is a great risk in this. We, as the Church, must take Jesus' words — "new wine must be put into fresh wineskins" — seriously. 

Jesus went on to say, "And no one after drinking old wine desires new; for he says, 'The old is good.'" (Lk 5:39). Here we sense Jesus' regret as he looks to the future. In another setting in John's Gospel, Jesus said, "You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life" (Jn 5:39–40). In these words, Jesus foresees the future state of believers who, fascinated by the Old Testament, which testifies to Him, refuse to come to Jesus in the New Testament, which testifies to eternal life. As they devote themselves to reading the Old Testament and chanting the Psalms, they are led to an illusion that Jesus is present within these precisely because His name is not mentioned there, and so they remain stuck there. 

After saying, "You refuse to come to me that you may have life," Jesus continued, "I do not receive glory from men. But I know that you have not the love of God within you" (Jn 5:41–42). If one remains in this illusion, "the love of God" cannot arise. This is a fatal blow to the Church. The "love of God" constantly drives believers to go to Jesus to have life, for the Holy Spirit, of whom Jesus said, "You know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you" (14:17), awakens our own spontaneity as believers. 

Because of this fatal blow to the Church, the suffering witnessed in the Corinthian community continues in the world, even in the 21st century: factions, the crisis of community collapse due to immoral conduct, accusations, prostitution, issues with tongues and prophecy, and disorderly worship. Furthermore, war continues unabated, and the flames of conflict are about to flare up once more, engulfing the world. Peter, Paul, Luke, Mark, and Timothy, gathered in Rome, thanks to Paul’s efforts, must have been considering how to foster within believers the spontaneity that would be equipped with the affinity with the Holy Spirit sent in the name of Jesus. At that time, on the island called Patmos, John — regarded by Paul as one of the pillars of the Apostles — was working on that very theme. 

Maria K. M.

 2026/03/16

239. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Affinity

As we discussed in the previous issue, Paul welcomed Peter into the Christian community in Rome and fulfilled his mission. Thus, the Church moved its capital to Rome and received as its head Apostle Peter, who had been trained by Jesus as an apostle, had received the priesthood of the New Covenant consisting of the institution of the Eucharist, and had been entrusted with the kingship, that is, the "staff of the Good Shepherd." The Church, by continuing to inherit these offices, fulfils the words spoken by the angel to Mary, the mother of Jesus: "Of his kingdom there will be no end" (Lk 1:33). 

Up to this point, the Church, established by the descent of the Holy Spirit, had pressed forward whilst being buffeted by various events. The beginning of these events was when the twelve Apostles, with the addition of Matthias, declared, "We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4), and turned towards the episcopate as we know it today. The origin of this lay in a complaint lodged by Greek-speaking Jews against the Hebrew-speaking Jews. The issue was that "their widows were neglected in the daily distribution" (6:1). Therefore, the Church first resolved the matter of "the daily distribution" by choosing seven mediators. The Church after Pentecost was growing rapidly, as it is written that "the number of the men came to about five thousand" (4:4) through the preaching of Peter and John. The formation of believers was an urgent priority. 

The approximately 120 believers waiting for the Holy Spirit to descend after Jesus' ascension (cf. Acts 1:14–15) were the disciples who had seen Jesus, in whom the Holy Spirit always dwelt, and had heard His words directly. As Jesus had said, "You know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you" (Jn 14:17), these were believers who had already experienced the Holy Spirit through Jesus and retained that memory. Consequently, they possessed a deep affinity with the Holy Spirit who was to come in Jesus' name (cf. 14:26). The Acts of the Apostles records that when the Holy Spirit descended, "there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:3–4). Here were male and female believers whose humanity had been reconstituted upon the foundation of the apostolate and prophetic office. 

These believers, trained by Jesus, were among the approximately three thousand people who joined them after Pentecost, and they exerted a powerful centripetal force. However, as the number of believers increased whilst they were still only able to convey the experience of the formation received by Jesus orally, it became difficult to maintain the quality of the community, which had a high affinity with the Holy Spirit. It was in this context that the problem arose whereby "their widows were neglected in the daily distribution." Although this incident manifested itself in the issue of "the daily distribution," its cause lay in the complex interplay of various issues faced by each individual believer gathered there: desires hidden in the depths of memory, often unrecognised by the person themselves, and everyday dissatisfactions related to self-realisation and self-satisfaction. This situation is clearly illustrated in the dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John 4 (cf. Jn 4:7–26). 

In a manner possible only to God, who knew the Samaritan woman’s entire memory intimately, Jesus revealed the desires hidden deep within her and the burdens she carried in her daily life. However, this experience was the first time for her, and she could not fully receive the meanings of His words. Should she later have seized the opportunity to follow Jesus, she must surely have experienced being filled with the Holy Spirit, demonstrating a high affinity with the Spirit who subsequently descended. The reality of God, as Jesus said, "You know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you," is received not only consciously but also unconsciously through seeing Jesus and hearing His voice; it is absorbed by the person and serves to solidify the foundation of their memory of faith. 

When the Holy Spirit descended, a completely new reality dawned. When the members of the community, who possessed a high affinity with the Holy Spirit, began to speak of Jesus, this became the proclamation of the Gospel. This affinity with the Holy Spirit is an affinity with all the gifts bestowed by the Holy Spirit, particularly the gift of prophecy, and is a crucial quality enabling believers to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit throughout their lives. In the Church, various writings were gradually produced for the transmission of Jesus' teachings and for the formation of believers. However, they did not yet conceive of any form of formation that would foster the high affinity with the Holy Spirit possessed by those believers who had seen Jesus and heard his voice. Given the limited conceptual framework of the time — with its lack of ideas regarding the unconscious or tacit knowledge — it was impossible to recognise the critical need for this, or to consider how believers might be equipped with a deep affinity with the Holy Spirit. Yet, it was not as though the thought had never crossed anyone’s mind. 

Maria K. M.

(Notice) 

A new article has been posted on the blog, TheWind of Patmos. It is a translation of an article I submitted to and was published in the Japanese internet magazine, Catholic Ai.

 2026/03/09

238. The Gospel of John and the Priesthood of the New Covenant: Soaring

After Pentecost, the twelve, now joined by Matthias, selected "seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom" (Acts 6:3), appointing them to official ministries, laying their hands upon them. This was a momentous decision. Soon, a great persecution arose against the Church, involving Paul's life at its very centre. Paul's work, which began with his conversion, teaches us that the apostolate and the gift of prophecy conferred by the descended Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 16:13) form the foundation for believers to collaborate with the Holy Spirit. In the Acts of the Apostles, both Paul and Barnabas are referred to as apostles (cf. Acts 14:14), and Paul himself called worthy disciples apostles (cf. Rom 16:7, Gal 1:19, 1 Thess 2:7). 

Paul heard many accounts about Jesus, particularly from the Apostle Peter, as well as from James, John, and Barnabas. From these accounts, he must have grasped the true meaning behind Jesus first choosing the Twelve, calling them 'apostles' and training them, imparting everything to them (cf. Jn 15:15), after that, conferring upon them the priesthood of the New Covenant at the institution of the Eucharist (cf. Lk 22:14–20), and then entrusting them with kingship (cf. 22:28–30). This kingship originated from the throne of David, as the angel had announced to Jesus' mother: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David" (1:32). David had been a shepherd at first. Jesus declared, "I am the good shepherd" (Jn 10:11), and explained to the Pharisees how such a shepherd works (cf. 10:1–18). These events that the disciples experienced led, after Jesus' resurrection, to the following narrative: 

In the Gospel of John, the risen Jesus "said to Simon Peter, 'Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?' He said to him, 'Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.' He said to him, 'Feed my lambs'" (Jn 21:15). By saying "more than these," Jesus confirmed Peter's resolve to become the head of the disciples. He then asked twice more, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" and commanded, "Tend my sheep" (21:16) and "Feed my sheep" (21:17). Jesus, who declared, "I am the good shepherd," entrusted his staff to Peter, so to speak. These three commands indicate that this authority resides within the "sheepfold" (10:1), that is, within the Church. It pertains to the priesthood of the New Covenant. 

Then Jesus said to Peter, intending to show by what death he would glorify God, "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go" (Jn 21:18). Paul must have heard these experiences from John, one of those "who were reputed to be pillars" (Gal 2:9). He would also have heard well Jesus' words concerning the destruction of Jerusalem. A new city must be prepared for the Christians. Thus, the staff of the "good shepherd" is guarded, and Jesus' formation is carried on. That staff was in Peter's hand, i.e., in his memory. 

The Acts of the Apostles records that in Ephesus, Paul "resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedo'nia and Acha'ia and go to Jerusalem, saying, 'After I have been there, I must also see Rome.'" (Acts 19:21). Paul intuitively sensed that God desired Rome to become the new city for Christians. The Holy Spirit was with Paul in his resolve. "The Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome’" (23:11). God's hand carried him to Rome. 

Paul understood the Lord’s words: "you must bear witness also at Rome." He knew his mission was to welcome Peter, entrusted with the staff of the "good shepherd," into the community in Rome. He had made arrangements to summon Peter there. Realising the time was ripe, Paul wrote to Timothy: "Do your best to come to me soon. ... Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you; for he is very useful in serving me. ... When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Tro'as, also the books, and above all the parchments" (2 Tim 4:9–13). 

Timothy, who, from childhood, had been "acquainted with the sacred writings" (2 Tim 3:15), understood what Paul suggested in his letter well. The "cloak" signified the mantle cast by Elijah to Elisha – that is, succession. The words "the books, and above all the parchments" represented the "good shepherd's" staff in Peter's memory and Jesus' formation, namely the episcopate. The time had come to welcome Peter to Rome. Timothy accompanies Peter, taking Mark with him. Luke is with Paul. All is in place. Welcoming Peter to the Roman community is the crown of righteousness for Paul, who has fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. That is as Paul wrote: "Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing" (2 Tim 4:8) 

Maria K. M.