Word to the Wise
Wednesday, December 27, 2023 - Dec. 27 - Feast of St. John, Apostle & Evangelist
[1 John 1:1-4 and John 20:1a, 2-8]What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life - for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us....[1 John]
DECEMBER 27 ST. JOHN [apostle and evangelist]
The occurrence of the feast of St. John the apostle and evangelist between the feasts of St. Stephen the first martyr and the Holy Innocents could invite us to reflect on the "life" that Jesus was born to bring! St. John was one of the first of the apostles that Jesus called, along with his brother James, the sons of Zebedee. He had, indeed, a claim to have experienced both the earthly life of Jesus and heard the "words of eternal life" (John 6:68) that Jesus proclaimed. John's testimony in the period following Pentecost created a very different current and community of understanding of Jesus' life, death and resurrection than the testimony of the gospels according to Mark, Matthew and Luke. His testimony led to the writing of the gospel and letters and the Book of Revelation which bear his name. He is often identified, traditionally, as the "Beloved Disciple" in the Gospel According to John.
One of the unique proclamations of the "Johannine literature" is the realization that faith in Jesus is the beginning of "eternal life" in our earthly life! Our human life in our own time is precious but it is linked with a life that transcends it. It is this eternal life that gives hope to the one we live now and which challenges us to love one another as Jesus loves us. [John 15:9-17] AMEN