Happy Feast Day of St. John!
What a beautiful day to celebrate! Simply because I was blessed to be named after this dear saint, whose name means "God is gracious", and belong to the Community of St. John, is no reason for me to show the least bit of favoritism toward him. I would have loved him anyway (I hear a song somewhere in the back of my head with those lyrics), because he was the "beloved" disciple. He alone reclined upon the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper. He was the only apostle to remain with Jesus at the Foot of the Cross at Calvary along with the Blessed Virgin Mary and other holy women. While standing there, beside Mary, St. John was personally assigned by His Master to be the "son" of Mary-- to care for her, to love her, and to comfort her in her grief-- and Mary to be John's Mother. [ "Woman, behold your son." Behold, your mother." --John 19:26,27] Obediently, John took her into his home and lovingly cared for her.
Represented by an eagle who soared high in his elevated stages of contemplation, St. John was the supreme Doctor of Divinity in Nazareth. His spiritual life never remained at the horizontal level (He wasn't one to lie around the beach and soak in the rays.), but he was definitely a spiritual mountain climber and was forever reaching even more elevated peaks at the vertical level.
Also, St. John was not one to just sit around basking in the limelight of Jesus' love, priding himself on being the "beloved" one -- the "special son"-- but really acted on the love and the special graces God had bestowed on him. He was a gifted writer and this is reflected in his gospel and three epistles. His gospel is a highly literary and symbolic masterpiece which begins with a prologue that is unforgettable, presenting us with the major themes and motifs of the gospel.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him and without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; and the light shines in the darkness, and the light has not overcome it." [--John 1: !-5] I fall in love with Jesus all over again every time I read from John. It's not that I am "out of love" with Jesus, but John returns that first love that I had with My Savior upon studying His Word.
He was one of the "movers and shakers" in the early Church and was constantly spreading the good news to others. He founded many churches in Asia Minor and baptized many converts in Samaria. I believe that he was probably one of the first active / contemplatives in the Church, as he made time for both contemplation and activity in the world.
His followers never tired of hearing him preaching about the love of Jesus and love for one another. His constantly encouraged them: "My dear children, love one another."
For more information on him, check out these links: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08492a.htm
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=228
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintj13.htm
As the third millennium of Christianity begins, new Christian communities are appearing. Among these is the religious family of the Brothers and Sisters of Saint John. Lay people also consecrate themselves as Oblates of the Community, supporting the work of the Brothers and Sisters.
"The Community of Saint John wants to be a community of children of the Father and of friends of Jesus, gathered together by the Holy Spirit, in order to live a fully evangelical life in the footsteps of Christ in intimate communion with Him : a life of adoration and contemplation intimately close to Mary." (Rule of Life)
To learn more about the Community of St. John, link up here:
http://www.stjean.com/EN/Jeu_accueil.php3
A Few of My Favorite Quotes from St. John
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him."
~ John 6: 54-56
**************************************************************
" I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you should also love one another. This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
~ John 13:34
**************************************************************
"I am the way and the truth and the life."
~ John 14:6
What a beautiful day to celebrate! Simply because I was blessed to be named after this dear saint, whose name means "God is gracious", and belong to the Community of St. John, is no reason for me to show the least bit of favoritism toward him. I would have loved him anyway (I hear a song somewhere in the back of my head with those lyrics), because he was the "beloved" disciple. He alone reclined upon the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper. He was the only apostle to remain with Jesus at the Foot of the Cross at Calvary along with the Blessed Virgin Mary and other holy women. While standing there, beside Mary, St. John was personally assigned by His Master to be the "son" of Mary-- to care for her, to love her, and to comfort her in her grief-- and Mary to be John's Mother. [ "Woman, behold your son." Behold, your mother." --John 19:26,27] Obediently, John took her into his home and lovingly cared for her.
Represented by an eagle who soared high in his elevated stages of contemplation, St. John was the supreme Doctor of Divinity in Nazareth. His spiritual life never remained at the horizontal level (He wasn't one to lie around the beach and soak in the rays.), but he was definitely a spiritual mountain climber and was forever reaching even more elevated peaks at the vertical level.
Also, St. John was not one to just sit around basking in the limelight of Jesus' love, priding himself on being the "beloved" one -- the "special son"-- but really acted on the love and the special graces God had bestowed on him. He was a gifted writer and this is reflected in his gospel and three epistles. His gospel is a highly literary and symbolic masterpiece which begins with a prologue that is unforgettable, presenting us with the major themes and motifs of the gospel.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him and without Him nothing came to be. What came to be through Him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; and the light shines in the darkness, and the light has not overcome it." [--John 1: !-5] I fall in love with Jesus all over again every time I read from John. It's not that I am "out of love" with Jesus, but John returns that first love that I had with My Savior upon studying His Word.
He was one of the "movers and shakers" in the early Church and was constantly spreading the good news to others. He founded many churches in Asia Minor and baptized many converts in Samaria. I believe that he was probably one of the first active / contemplatives in the Church, as he made time for both contemplation and activity in the world.
His followers never tired of hearing him preaching about the love of Jesus and love for one another. His constantly encouraged them: "My dear children, love one another."
For more information on him, check out these links: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08492a.htm
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=228
http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintj13.htm
As the third millennium of Christianity begins, new Christian communities are appearing. Among these is the religious family of the Brothers and Sisters of Saint John. Lay people also consecrate themselves as Oblates of the Community, supporting the work of the Brothers and Sisters.
"The Community of Saint John wants to be a community of children of the Father and of friends of Jesus, gathered together by the Holy Spirit, in order to live a fully evangelical life in the footsteps of Christ in intimate communion with Him : a life of adoration and contemplation intimately close to Mary." (Rule of Life)
To learn more about the Community of St. John, link up here:
http://www.stjean.com/EN/Jeu_accueil.php3
A Few of My Favorite Quotes from St. John
"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him."
~ John 6: 54-56
**************************************************************
" I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you should also love one another. This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
~ John 13:34
**************************************************************
"I am the way and the truth and the life."
~ John 14:6
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