Happy Feast Day of St. John!
Today is the feast day of the patron saint of my Community -- the Congregation of St. John--and what a beautiful feast day it has been. Two women made their Oblature today in our local monastery, consecrating their lives to God, taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Brief Biography of St. John
Jesus chose St. John, a fisherman, during his first year of ministry. He traveled everywhere with Jesus and became so close to Him that he became known as the "beloved disciple", "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). John reclined on the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper and he was the only the only one of the twelve apostles not to forsake Our Lord and Savior in the hour of His Passion, but remained with Him until the very end, standing at the foot of the cross. It was there that Jesus appointed him the "Son" of Mary, when He uttered, "Woman, behold your son.... Behold, your mother" (John 19:26b, 27b). John then took her into his home, where he lovingly cared for her. Upon hearing of the Resurrection, he was the first to approach the tomb; when he met our risen Lord, at the Lake of Tiberias; he was the first to recognize Him.
Following the death of Jesus, he preached the gospel in Jerusalem and at Ephesus. John is the author of the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.
John died in 101 at Ephesus (Turkey).
He is the patron saint of authors, booksellers, book publishers, and editors. He is also the patron saint of friendships.
Quote: St. John and the Eucharist
"The whole Gospel of St. John reveals that to us; it is the last Gospel, the Gospel of the heart of Jesus, of his wounded heart. It is in fact amazing how the whole Gospel of St. John is centered around the mystery of the Eucharist. St. John describes five meals ... : Cana - the whole world understands Cana -, the multiplication of loaves - which is marvelous -, the meal of thanksgiving at Bethany - which is not easy to comment on because of the presence and opposition of Judas - the Last Supper, with the washing of feet, and the last little meal - the Anglo-Saxon meal, on the shore of lake Tiberias, where Jesus calls his disciples."
" These five meals speak of or lead to the Eucharist, and they all teach us that Jesus wants to devote himself to us as forcefully as possible: in a festive meal, in a thanksgiving meal, or in a meal taken on the road, where, because of work to be done, we hardly have time to stop, remaining for only a few minutes in order not to waste any time. The five meals teach us everything including five ways of attending Mass. Sometimes we attend Mass but don't have much time: this is why there are brief, simplified prayers in the new liturgy. When we have more time, we can have a wedding banquet. What we need to understand is that Jesus wants us to desire receiving him, to desire receiving this gift. With St. Augustine, let us realize that we are not the ones who transform the body of Christ into our own body, nor the ones who transform the heart of Jesus into our own heart. No, it is Jesus, the living bread, the source of life, light and love, who transforms our heart into his own heart, our body into his own body. That is why the Eucharist is a promise of Glory: we already live the mystery of Glory in a prophetic way."
~ The Wine of the New Covenant, Father Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P., Founder of the Congregation of St. John
For more Information about the Community of St. John, go to http://www.stjean.com/ and http://www.childrenofhope.org/ .
Today is the feast day of the patron saint of my Community -- the Congregation of St. John--and what a beautiful feast day it has been. Two women made their Oblature today in our local monastery, consecrating their lives to God, taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
Brief Biography of St. John
Jesus chose St. John, a fisherman, during his first year of ministry. He traveled everywhere with Jesus and became so close to Him that he became known as the "beloved disciple", "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). John reclined on the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper and he was the only the only one of the twelve apostles not to forsake Our Lord and Savior in the hour of His Passion, but remained with Him until the very end, standing at the foot of the cross. It was there that Jesus appointed him the "Son" of Mary, when He uttered, "Woman, behold your son.... Behold, your mother" (John 19:26b, 27b). John then took her into his home, where he lovingly cared for her. Upon hearing of the Resurrection, he was the first to approach the tomb; when he met our risen Lord, at the Lake of Tiberias; he was the first to recognize Him.
Following the death of Jesus, he preached the gospel in Jerusalem and at Ephesus. John is the author of the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation.
John died in 101 at Ephesus (Turkey).
He is the patron saint of authors, booksellers, book publishers, and editors. He is also the patron saint of friendships.
Quote: St. John and the Eucharist
"The whole Gospel of St. John reveals that to us; it is the last Gospel, the Gospel of the heart of Jesus, of his wounded heart. It is in fact amazing how the whole Gospel of St. John is centered around the mystery of the Eucharist. St. John describes five meals ... : Cana - the whole world understands Cana -, the multiplication of loaves - which is marvelous -, the meal of thanksgiving at Bethany - which is not easy to comment on because of the presence and opposition of Judas - the Last Supper, with the washing of feet, and the last little meal - the Anglo-Saxon meal, on the shore of lake Tiberias, where Jesus calls his disciples."
" These five meals speak of or lead to the Eucharist, and they all teach us that Jesus wants to devote himself to us as forcefully as possible: in a festive meal, in a thanksgiving meal, or in a meal taken on the road, where, because of work to be done, we hardly have time to stop, remaining for only a few minutes in order not to waste any time. The five meals teach us everything including five ways of attending Mass. Sometimes we attend Mass but don't have much time: this is why there are brief, simplified prayers in the new liturgy. When we have more time, we can have a wedding banquet. What we need to understand is that Jesus wants us to desire receiving him, to desire receiving this gift. With St. Augustine, let us realize that we are not the ones who transform the body of Christ into our own body, nor the ones who transform the heart of Jesus into our own heart. No, it is Jesus, the living bread, the source of life, light and love, who transforms our heart into his own heart, our body into his own body. That is why the Eucharist is a promise of Glory: we already live the mystery of Glory in a prophetic way."
~ The Wine of the New Covenant, Father Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P., Founder of the Congregation of St. John
For more Information about the Community of St. John, go to http://www.stjean.com/ and http://www.childrenofhope.org/ .
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