First reading: 1 John 1:1-4
Psalm: Ps 97:1-2,5-6,11-12
Gospel: John 20:1-8
Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter
and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb,
and we do not know where they put him.”
So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.
Cut off:
Rumi was a Muslim poet, theologian, and Sufi mystic. He lived in 13th-century Persia.
Many of Rumi’s poems center on the concept of longing and desire for union with the beloved. But this is longing and desire based on being cut off from our beloved. Our trying to find, reconnect with our beloved.
Names:
Saint John is known by many names: Apostle, Evangelist, John of Patmos, the Beloved Disciple, one of the sons of Zebedee, one of the “sons of thunder,” one of the twelve, a Pillar of the Church at Jerusalem.
John is best known as the “Beloved Disciple” mentioned about 8 times in the Gospel. John was present at every important event in the life of Jesus.
That term, beloved disciple, tells us something about the connection and relationship between Jesus and John. This is a connection between two people who love each other. Being beloved is never about being cut-off, about searching to find our beloved, but about being joined in an on-going loving relationship. Being beloved is the real presence of love in our lives. John was surrounded by, filled by, and completed by the love of Jesus.
Witnesses:
John, along with Peter and James witnessed the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:37), the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1), and of the Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:37). Peter and John were sent into the city to make preparations for the Last Supper (Luke 22:8). At the Last Supper John sat next to Jesus and leaned against Him (John 13:23, 25). John was the “other disciple” who followed Jesus after His arrest, and witnessed the mock trial before the Sanhedrin and Chief Priest (John 18:15). John was the only disciple to stand, along with Mary and the other faithful women, at the foot of the cross. Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to John (John 19:25-27). After the Resurrection John ran to the tomb along with Peter, as we heard in today’s Gospel, and he was the first to understand and believe that Christ had truly risen (John 20:2-10).
Being there, being together is a key part of being joined in love. John was not apart and away, or cut off from the events in Jesus’ life. Instead, as a beloved of Jesus he was present. As a faithful disciple and apostle, in love with Jesus, he remained with Him throughout it all, good and bad, and he understood Jesus.
Long life:
John went on to live a long life with his ministry and home primarily in Ephesus where he served all of Asia Minor, guiding the Churches of that province as their bishop. John was the only apostle who was not martyred. That’s not to say that some didn’t try. Church Tradition teaches that Domitian tried to boil John in a vat of hot oil. John emerged unhurt. He was then exiled to Patmos where he wrote the Revelation. On this day we recall that event, when John was given a chalice of poisoned wine. He prayed over the cup and the poison left the wine in the form of snakes. John then drank the wine without harm.
Death and suffering are a big fear, and are often the times when we feel most isolated, most alone. When we are sick, in trouble, threatened, we can feel cut off and alone, unloved.
We see that John’s life was marked by moments of suffering. The key is that John knew he was not cut off or alone. He knew that Jesus was with him throughout it all, through loneliness, struggle, suffering, and exile.
Witness to love:
On this feast, we should focus on our connection to Jesus. Do we know that He loves us as He loved John? You and I are the beloved of Jesus. No matter our state or situation, we are never abandoned, alone, or cut off. The whole reason for Jesus’ coming was to connect us as individuals and as a community to God.
Witness to constancy:
Jesus’ love is constant. It can be hard to conceptualize that constant connection. We can find it hard to remain connected even to those we love the most. We can find it difficult to overlook the sins and breakdowns in our relationships. We can sit and wonder whether those we love really love us. St. John’s feast reminds us that there is no such thing as being cut off from God. Jesus’ coming and His relationship with John, teaches us that We are His beloved.
Share in the chalice:
John bore witness to the gospel’s message, to the overriding love of God that is at the center of our lives. Jesus told John and James “My chalice indeed you shall drink” (Matthew 20:23). When we hear those words, we might think about their share in Jesus’ suffering. Today, let us recall and remember that Jesus’ chalice, the wine that He offers, is abundant love, an on-going relationship, and the promise that we will never be cut off from Him.
As we share later in the wine we will bless, remember that we are His beloved. That little warm feeling isn’t the wine, it is the warmth and love of Jesus who loves us completely. Amen.
About that time Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church.
