Tuesday December 27th: Faithful discipleship

Like John, our goal is to remain close to Jesus

John 20: 1 – 8.

The Church celebrates the feast of St. John, apostle and evangelist on the second day in the Christmas octave. The place of this feast highlights John’s significance to the faith community. Tradition claims John as the beloved disciple. As ‘beloved disciple’ he exemplifies discipleship.

The beloved disciple is the one whom Jesus loved; the one who rested on his breast at the Last Supper (John 13: 23); the one who reached the tomb first; the one who saw and believed (John 20: 3, 8).

As an ideal disciple, John teaches us how to be faithful to Jesus. Like John our goal is to remain close to Jesus. We can remain close to Jesus by participating in the Eucharistic celebration regularly. We can make time for Eucharistic adoration and personal prayer regularly. We can celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation regularly. We can develop a special love for the poor and the needy.

Today as we celebrate his feast, allow St. John to help us to grow close to Jesus as he was.