Rejoice in the Lord, you just! — Psalm 97:12 

Mass Readings: 1 John 1:1-4 / John 20:1,2-8 

Beloved John 

I love St. John because he shows that a hothead and a contemplative can live in the same skin. Jesus nicknamed him and his brother James “Boanerges” or “Sons of Thunder” (Mk 3:17). You can imagine them getting in bar fights in their younger days: a couple of tough young fishermen who wanted to call down fire from heaven as payback when Samaritans disrespected their Master (Lk 9:54). 

But John had another side. It showed itself at the empty tomb. He “saw and believed” (Jn 20:8) even though he didn’t quite know what he was seeing. And when his belief was rewarded by an appearance of the Risen Jesus, he dedicated his life to telling what he’d seen: the Word made flesh. Gentled by the Holy Spirit, he even told the Samaritans. And they listened. 

Prayer: St. John, pray that we may proclaim the Eucharist we have seen and touched.