Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist

The Month of December Dedicated to Advent and the Coming of Christ

Other Saint: Saint Fabiola, Roman Widow, Disciple of Saint Jerome (4th century)

Readings of the Day

Rule of Saint Benedict: Ch 69 The Presumption of Defending Another in the Monastery

Mass: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Resp Ps 97; Jn 20:1a, 2-8 

Gladness, for the upright of heart.

MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE,

MARY, QUEEN OF APOSTLES,

MARY, QUEEN OF EVANGELISTS,

PRAY FOR US.

What we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you.

(1 Jn 1:3)

How blessed we are to be celebrating this Christmas season, and during this Octave within the Nativity of Lord, we commemorate several powerful saints. We kicked things off yesterday with Saint Stephen, and now we look to Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist, "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (Jn 20:2), and also the one who outran Simon Peter so as to arrive at the empty tomb of Jesus first (Jn 20:4). Go John go! 

On a regular basis I remind all of us that we are united in faith and prayer. And proof of that is proclaimed in our First Reading at Mass taken from the First Letter of Saint John. There we hear that Saint John, along with the other disciples, not only heard Jesus speak in person, but were with Him in person. They saw Him, touched Him, felt His physical presence; they knew His facial features, the color and length of his hair, his eye color, and so on. We are told this when we hear, "What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you." We hear Jesus proclaimed, but we do not literally "see" Him. However, we are still united with all those who have gone before us and give thanks to Saint John and others who daily proclaim to us what they have seen and heard. O, the beauty and riches of our faith tradition. United in faith and prayer, with all those who have gone before us, we go forth too, and proclaim what we have heard, and seen too, thanks to Saint John and company. ☺ This one wore me out, maybe like Saint John was worn out when he ran faster than Simon Peter. This may also be the reason why Simon Peter went into the empty tomb first (Jn 20:6). John was busy recovering. Much is left to our imagination which just extends the beauty and riches of it all. Keep going, faithful readers. Proclaim the good news!

SAINT JOHN, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST,

SAINT FABIOLA,

SAINT JEROME,

PRAY FOR US.

Today's photo: Standing straight and tall, we give thanks to His holy name.

© Gertrude Feick 2022