December 27, St. John

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

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

You, Too, Are Beloved

St. John, the only apostle to stand at the foot of the cross, was also the first of the Twelve to arrive at the empty tomb. It was John himself who tells us Jesus referred to him as the ''beloved'' but that's certainly not to say Jesus didn't love the others equally as much. After all, God -- offering infinite love -- doesn't play favorites.

Perhaps John's ''title'' tells us less about Jesus and more about him. John realized he was ''beloved'' by Christ and he, in turn, responded to that love by following Jesus, by being present at the crucifixion, by accepting a commission to take care of Christ's mother, by running to the tomb on Easter morning, by decades of preaching and writing about Christ's love for him . . . and for all.

Prayer: Beloved St. John, help me better realize that I, too, am beloved by God.