In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season we must stay grounded in Christ. As the days are short, and cold, it is time to embrace the light of Christ and carve out time to cultivate prayer and reflect on this beautiful Saint, John the Apostle and Evangelist. On this day we recall “the one whom Jesus loved.” Tradition holds that he outlived the other Apostles, dying around the year 101 AD, and is the only Apostle who died of natural causes, not martyrdom. He was also the only Apostle of Jesus who had the strength to stand at the foot of the cross during our Lord’s crucifixion and death.
On this feast day 351 years ago Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and invited her to be the Disciple of the Sacred Heart. St. Margaret wrote, “He made me rest for a long time on His divine breast, where He discovered to me the wonders of His love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart.” He allowed her to encounter the same Heart that St. John the Apostle encountered as he rested his head on the chest of Christ at the Last Supper. On this day in the 12 Century, Jesus also invited St. Gertrude to rest her head on His chest and listen to the heartbeat of the Lord.
In today’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene panicked as she didn’t know where Jesus’ body was. Her heart must have been breaking as she had just watched the bloody and horrific crucifixion, and now his body had gone missing! This Gospel stresses the importance of staying close to the Lord, trusting the Lord, and allowing the Lord to lead us, even when life is very difficult. This Scripture reveals the importance of obedience and trust. It reveals that shortly after the triumph of the cross comes the power of the empty tomb. Our Lord was born to die and open the gates of eternal life for us through His resurrection.
Imagine the joy that came in knowing that His body had not been taken, but rather that He had resurrected from the dead. Jesus wants to calm our hearts and give us the joy of following His path and plan. In the midst of this joyful season after Christmas, may we carve out time to reflect on our faith and how the Lord desires to bring us peace and joy within our hearts.
Daily Reading
Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist
Reading 1 1 Jn 1:1-4 Beloved:What was from the beginning,what we have heard,what we have seen with our eyes,what we looked uponand touched with our handsconcerns the Word of life…
Saint of the Day
Saint John
Saint John: Beloved apostle, author of Fourth Gospel, New Testament letters, and Revelation, entrusted with caring for Mary.
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