Thursday December 26th: Standing up for Jesus
December 26, 2024
The Jubilee, a grace-filled opportunity for encounter
December 27, 2024
St. John, Apostle and Evangelist.
Christmas invites us to do what John did: open our hearts to Christ’s love.
John 20:1-8
On this feast of St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, the gospel opens with the Easter story. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb but found it empty. She immediately ran to tell Peter and John. They too ran to the tomb, each with his own sense of urgency and expectation. John reached the tomb first but waited for Peter. When John finally entered, he saw and believed!
The journey to Easter begins with Christmas. The same love that led Jesus to accept our humanity and dwell among us also led Him to the cross and to victory over death. Christmas invites us to rediscover this love.
John’s faith was deeply tied to his relationship with Jesus. He is called “the disciple Jesus loved” not because he was the only one Jesus loved, but because he opened his heart to receive that love in a special way. Christmas invites us to do what John did: open our hearts to Christ’s love. Jesus invites each of us into a personal relationship with Him.
