but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came,
following him, and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head, was not lying flat like the other linen cloths,
but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in; he saw and believed. Scripture clearly said that Jesus must rise
from the dead, but they had not yet understood that.

Reflection:

John reaches the tomb first (mentioned twice, as if to
remind us); but he waits, lets Peter enter first. John, a son of thunder
and a compulsively competitive man who, with his brother, bested
the other disciples to ask for seats of prominence in the Kingdom (Mk
10:37); who, once jealously stopped a stranger from healing in Jesus’ name
because he wasn’t one among them (Lk 9:49); who once wanted fire to
come down and burn up a Samaritan village because it was not hospitable
(Lk 9: 54), is now willing to let Peter exercise primacy! Only after Peter
enters and verifies, John will enter. Where has the rivalry, jealously,
treacherous competitiveness gone? Perhaps it left the moment
he rested his head on the breast of the Lord; or stood at the foot of
the Cross, getting drenched in the blood from above. This is what the
Paschal Mystery does: to change our lives 180 degrees.

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