The Feast of St John, Apostle and Evangelist

The Feast of St John, Apostle and Evangelist

By REV. FR. SAMUEL FREDERICK

1 Jn 1:1-4, Jn 20:2-8. The Evangelist John is rightly celebrated soon after Christmas Day to appreciate his special love for Jesus. The opening lines of the Gospel of John summed up in a few words what we are celebrating at Christmas: "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." The last of the four Gospels to be written, is based on the eye witness testimony of the man described as the disciple Jesus loved. Today's first reading provides us with an eyewitness account of the ministerial life of Jesus. He shares with us what he has experienced, seen and heard. He says that Jesus is Life, perhaps because he is the only Apostle who died a natural death, although his enemies reportedly tried to boil him in oil some time before he died. What makes this particular disciple special is that he received and responded to the love of Jesus more fully than all the others did. He was the only male disciple present at the foot of the Cross, faithful when others had shown themselves to be unfaithful. His faithful love brought him to the empty tomb quicker than Peter; his faithful love gave him the insight to recognise the true meaning of the empty tomb before anyone else understood its meaning: "...He saw and believed." His example encourages us to give ourselves fully to Jesus as he has given Himself fully to us.

Today's Gospel focuses on John’s belief that Jesus is risen from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. It is an interesting account that made him give his whole life and did everything he could to glorify the Lord by his life and actions. He encouraged many of the faithful who were going through many persecutions. Through his accounts in the Book of Revelations, he encourages the faithful not to give up on their faith in God, in the end, God will come and claim His faithful ones and those who remain faithful to Him will indeed receive the promise of eternal life, true happiness and everlasting joy with Him. John also spent many decades in spreading the truth of God all over the known world, traveling from places to places with the other Apostles and disciples, assisting in the foundation of the Church in various places. John also wrote several Epistles and letters in addition to his well-known work on one of the four canonical or officially endorsed Gospels. He was also the one who received the vision of the end of times in the Island of Patmos where he was exiled to by the persecution of Christians throughout the Roman Empire. He recorded all that he had seen in what we now know as the Book of Revelations.

May the Lord who unlocked for us the hidden treasures of His Word, make us grasp with fuller understanding the message of eternal life! Amen!! Good morning and a pleasant day!!!

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