Feast of St John

[cappie]

On the Feast of St. John, we gather to celebrate the life and legacy of the Beloved Disciple. St. John holds a special place among the apostles, not only as one of the twelve chosen by Jesus but as the one whom Jesus loved deeply. Today,  we see how his example can inspire and guide us in our journey of faith.

The call to discipleship is a central theme in St. John's life.  John, along with his brother James, was called by Jesus to leave their fishing nets and follow Him. We, too, are called by Christ to follow Him with a wholehearted commitment. St. John teaches us that discipleship requires leaving behind the comforts of our old life to embrace the transformative power of Christ's love.

Matthew 4:19 - "And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.'"

St. John is often referred to as the "Beloved Disciple" because of the deep love he shared with Jesus. We read he leaned on Jesus' chest at the Last Supper, symbolizing an intimate relationship. St. John's life reflects the importance of love in our journey of faith. As Christians, we are called to love one another just as Christ has loved us.

John 13:34-35 - "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

St. John is also known for his Gospel, which delves deeply into the divinity of Christ. His writings emphasize the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us. St. John challenges us to seek a profound understanding of the Word of God and to let it illuminate our lives.

John 1:14 - "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

An interesting calendar-arrangement is that this feast is celebrated between to liturgical feats. Yesterday was the Feast of St. Stephan, the First Martyr after the Resurrection of Jesus and tomorrow is the Feast of the Holy innocents which remembers the deaths of all young males under two years old in the vicinity of Bethlehem. Herod thought he had been told that the that the long-awaited for was born there.

Two celebrations of deaths leading to life. Jesus is born to sharing His Divine Life with all, those who seek Him and those who humanly long for His Life in all their seeking. Jesus arrived and arrives to bring us life and we continue arriving, not to find, but be found again and again.   May we, like St. John, draw near to Christ, allowing His love to transform us and radiate through us to the world. As we reflect on St. John's life, may we be inspired to live as true disciples, bearing witness to the love and light of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.