Tuesday, December 26, 2006
FEAST, ST. JOHN, APOSTLE
DECEMBER 27, 2006
FEAST, ST. JOHN, APOSTLE
1 JOHN 1:1-4
Beloved: 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 it and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father and was made visible to us - what we have
seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have
fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with
his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be
complete.
JOHN 20:2-8
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon
Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told
them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know
where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and
came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster
than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the
burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived
after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and
the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but
rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in,
the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.
REFLECTION
Yesterday we celebrated St. Stephen's martyrdom. Today we focus on
the resurrection as seen through John's eyes. Tomorrow we commemorate
the martyrdom of the Holy Innocents. We sense a mild anticlimax and
wonder where the Incarnation has gone. We are challenged to stop
cooing at the Baby Jesus and to look seriously at the adult Christ,
the Incarnate Word who calls us to discipleship. Thus, the feasts
immediately following Christmas stress a deep and committed faith in
the Word made flesh which costs nothing less than everything. St.
John, the disciple whom Jesus loved in a very special way, is one
model.
The profound theology of John's Gospel highlights the very core of
our faith, namely the resurrection. The resurrection, without
Christ's death, would have been practically fruitless. Today, only
two days after Christmas, John testifies and so helps us to anchor
our faith. God knows that the human spirit can only sustain so much
mystery. So, on arrival at the tomb, John and Peter are not
confronted with complete emptiness, which might signal a theft, or
even resuscitation of the body. Instead, they see evidence, in the
absence of Jesus and in the presence of the linen cloths. The
position of the cloths indicates that the body has passed out of
them. John's diffidence reminds us that it is all right to hesitate.
John waits, reflects, prays, and then owns the experience. This is
the pattern or our own growth in faith. The resurrection is both the
primary object of our faith and the ground of our hope.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray ...
- for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the unborn.
- for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Lydia Cu
- Birthday: Francisco Sun
- Prayer Intention: Virgilio & Ma. Concepcion Calimon
- Wedding Anniversary: Butch & Rose Narciso
- Wedding Anniversary: John & Cynthia Tan
- In Memoriam (+): Joaquin Yap
- for world peace and reconciliation.
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our
prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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