One Minute Reflection – 27 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – St John, the Apostle and Evangelist, the Beloved – St John the Apostle and Evangelist, the Beloved – Ecclesiasticus 15:1-6, John 21:19-24 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow Me.” – John 21:22
REFLECTION – “The Church knows of two lives advocated and recommended by God. One in faith, the other in vision; one in our pilgrimage through time, the other in the abode of eternity; one in working, the other in repose; one on the way, the other in our homeland; one in the labour of action, the other in the reward of contemplation. … The first is represented by the Apostle Peter, the second, by John. The first wholly takes place here below, until the end of the world and then comes to an end. The second only reaches its fulfilment after the world’s end; in the world to come, it will never end.
“What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow Me” …. Let your action follow Me, perfect and modelled on the example of My Passion; let the contemplation which has begun, remain until My return: I will perfect it when I come again. For this persevering fervour which stands firm to the death, is a following of Christ and this knowledge, which will then be manifested in fullness, remains until the return of Christ. Here, in the country of mortal men, we must undergo the afflictions of this world; there, we shall contemplate the Lord’s blessings, in the land of the living (Ps 26:13). …
So let no-one divide one from the other of these two, glorious Apostles, for both are contained in what Peter symbolises and both, will be in what John represents.” – St Augustine (354-320) Father and Doctor of Grace (Sermons on Saint John’s Gospel No 124: 5-7).
PRAYER – O Lord, graciously shed light upon Thy Church, so that, enlightened by the teachings of blessed John, ThyApostle and Evangelist, she may gain YThy everlasting rewards.Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
AnaStpaul 