Tuesday, December 27, 2022
Saint John di Apostle and Evangelist—Feast
Di Third Day for di Octave of Christmas
Readings for Today
Listen for English
For di first day of di week, Mary Magdalene run go meet Simon Peter and di other disciple wey Jesus love, and e tell dem, “Dem don carry di Lord comot from di tomb, and we no know where dem put am.” So Peter and di other disciple comot go di tomb. John 20:1–3
E dey interesting say Saint John call imself di disciple “wey Jesus love.” True true, Jesus love everybody. E love all di disciples. But for di Gospel wey John write, na John get dis special title of di disciple wey Jesus love.
We fit understand why Saint John di Apostle be dis disciple wey Jesus love for plenty reasons. First, remember di special closeness and tender love wey John show Jesus for di Last Supper, when John lie down beside Am as dem dey chop. Remember too say na only John stand for di foot of di Cross with Jesus mama, and say Jesus put Im mama for John care, and John for Im mama care. And notice for di passage above say na John first run go di empty tomb as soon as Mary Magdalene tell am wetin e discover. Apart from dis, plenty scholars believe say John na di youngest disciple. And as disciple wey young pass, e fit don receive special fatherly care from our Lord.
But we fit still understand John as di disciple wey Jesus love for another reason. To put am simply, na so John see imself as e dey write im Gospel account. John fit don do am like dis because to tell di story of Jesus life na something wey touch am deep for im own person. Di love and tender affection wey e get for im Lord na di main thing wey fill im soul and move am pass every other thing. And e be like say as John dey talk about Jesus and di times wey e meet Jesus, e no fit help but reflect with prayer on di holy and spiritual love wey Jesus get for am. So, e be like say John no fit talk about di times wey e meet our Lord without also pointing to di divine love wey join dem together. E be as if every time im Gospel story talk about one time wey e meet Jesus, John heart dey full because of dis simple truth: Jesus, di Son of God, di Messiah, know am and love am personally. Na so e feel say e must talk dis truth again and again.
For dis matter, e really beautiful for our spiritual life to reflect on John soul. E clear say na man wey God touch deep through di Person of Jesus. And after Jesus ascend go Heaven, e be like say John holy love for Jesus only continue to grow. As e go out as Apostle, dey preach about di salvation wey come through im Savior and dear friend, e clear say e draw closer to our Lord every day. When John write im Gospel near di end of im life, e clear say divine love dey burn for im heart like fire, as e dey long well well to unite fully with im Lord for Heaven.
As we dey honour dis special and holy Apostle, reflect today on dis simple truth: dem dey invite you too to share for di holy and close love wey Jesus and Saint John share. Think deep about di truth say our Lord also love you with perfect love, closeness and with all Im being. If you fit look well at di love for dis beloved disciple heart, then you too fit share for dat love and become disciple wey Jesus love.
My beloved Lord, di love wey You give di disciple John perfect for every way. After You ascend go Heaven, You continue to make Your relationship with am deeper, dey draw am closer and closer to Your Sacred Heart. Abeg, pour dat same love on me and draw me enter Your Heart, so dat I too go become Your beloved disciple. Saint John, pray for us. Jesus, na You I trust.
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More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
More Reflections for Christmas:
To Surrender Yourself Completely
One Humble Servant of the Lord
To Dey Faithful for Everything
Suffering Wey Dem Bear Together
The Things Wey One Mama Dey Think Deep About
Main Image: Saint John di Evangelist Na Domenichino make am, through Wikimedia Commons
