St. John, Apostle wey also be Evangelist

December 27, 2019
Saint John, Apostle wey also be Evangelist—Feast
Day Three for di Octave of Christmas
Readings for Today

Una wey we love: Wetin don dey from di beginning, wetin we don hear, wetin we don see with our own eyes, wetin we look well and touch with our hands concern di Word of life—for di life come show for us to see; we don see am, we dey bear witness to am, and we dey proclaim to una di eternal life wey dey with di Father and wey come show for us to see—na wetin we don see and hear we dey proclaim to una now, so dat una too fit get fellowship with us; for our fellowship na with di Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.  We dey write dis so dat our joy go complete.  1 John 1:1-4

Dis day, wey be day three for di Octave of Christmas, na day wey dem dedicate to St. John.  E dey especially important to honour St. John during Christmas, because na from am we get plenty of wetin we know about our Divine Lord.  No be only one of di four Gospels e write; e also write different letters wey dem don preserve.  Di letter wey dey above come from di first reading for today’s Mass.

For dis letter, John repeat wetin e write for di first chapter of im Gospel when e talk about di Eternal Word, wey don dey from di beginning and wey take human flesh.  Here, e repeat say, “Wetin don dey from di beginning…come show for us to see.”  Dat is, di Eternal Son of di Father take human flesh so dat we fit see Am.  John witness dis.

As we dey honour St. John, e good make we try see Christmas di way e see am.  E for don get di chance to dey ponder di great mystery of God’s Incarnation throughout im life.  E for don ponder di truth say dis man wey e come know personally and closely don dey even before time begin, and na one of di Persons of di Most Holy Trinity.  For John, di Incarnation for don be something wey real well-well, wey touch am deeply and change im life.

Try see Jesus di way John see Am.  But especially, look at di Incarnation di way John see am after Jesus don ascend go Heaven and send di Holy Spirit.  For many decades after dat, John dedicate im life to spread di Good News.  E dedicate im life to ponder di great mystery, as e allow imself to see more clearly say di human being wey e walk and talk with na both God and man.  E no for ever fit understand dis great mystery finish, and wetin e experience for continue to fill am with wonder and reverence.  

Another thing be say, John for don get di blessing to continue to dey “touch” di presence of di One wey be both God and Man every time e celebrate di Holy Eucharist.  Small-small, e for don understand say Jesus dey fully present to am through dis gift.

Today, reflect on dis great Apostle.  Pray to thank God for di deep understanding wey dey inside im writings, and try enter im mind and heart as e dey reflect on Jesus in prayer throughout im life.  E be gift to di Church, and today we dey give thanks for dis gift.

Lord, You full of glory, and You pass wetin I fit understand.  Your divine presence for dis world truly be mystery wey dey fill person with wonder and reverence.  Thank You say You come among us, and thank You say You reveal Yourself to us through di writings of St. John di Apostle.  Make I come know You more deeply through everything wey e don write, and make I always follow im example as disciple wey You love.  St. John, pray for us.  Jesus, na You I trust.