CO-WORKERS’ APPRECIATION DAY OF ACCRA ARCHDIOCESE
FEAST OF ST. JOHN, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST
27TH DECEMBER, 2024, AT THE HOLY SPIRIT CATHEDRAL, ADABRAKA
HOMILY BY BISHOP JOHN K. LOUIS
THEME: THE DISCIPLE WHOM JESUS LOVED
INTRODUCTION
Today, the universal church celebrates the feast of St. John who was an apostle and an evangelist. The gospel reading chosen for this feast seems more appropriate for the Season of Easter. Why, then, was it chosen (among the many stories featuring St. John) for his feast? I wish to suggest that a primary reason for the choice is because it describes St. John as “the one whom Jesus loved” (John 20:2). Hence, our theme: “The Disciple whom Jesus loved” (cf. John 21:7).
Among His disciples, Jesus Christ might have had a special love for St. John for reasons which included the following:
- St. John loved Jesus greatly
- St. John had a great sense of faith in Christ
- St. John had a deep understanding of the mystery of Christ
- ST. JOHN LOVED JESUS GREATLY
Jesus, who knew the hearts of all His disciples, knew that St. John responded to His love for humanity better than the rest of the apostles. John’s great love for his Master could be seen in the following instance. Whereas Judas had betrayed the Lord, Peter denied Him, and the other apostles deserted Him, John would follow Him to the very foot of the cross where he was a source of comfort for His Mother Mary (cf. John 19:26-27).
Through the intercession of St. John, may our love for Jesus grow deeper with each passing day of the New Year and beyond.
- ST. JOHN HAD A GREAT SENSE OF FAITH IN CHRIST
John did not only love Christ, he also had a great sense of faith in Him. Thus, for instance, while Mary Magdalene and her companions, who were the first to see the empty tomb, thought that the body of Jesus had been taken away, and Peter seemed not sure of what had happened after seeing the empty tomb, John saw the empty tomb and burial clothes and believed that the Lord had risen (cf. John 20:8). That is, John was the first disciple for whom the empty tomb was a sufficient proof the Lord’s resurrection. His faith stood out!
Furthermore, in the post-resurrection fishing expedition, John was the first to recognize that the man at the shore who was directing them for a big catch of fish was the risen Lord. “It is the Lord!” he exclaimed (John 21:7).
Through the intercession of John, may our faith in Jesus increase with each passing day of the New Year and beyond.
- ST. JOHN HAD A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
St. Mark began his narration of the mystery of Jesus Christ at a point when He was about 30 years old. St. Matthew and St. Luke seem to have began earlier. That is, they would retreat about three decades to the point where Mary and Joseph were engaged. Then, while Matthew would preface his narration with the genealogy of Jesus up to the time of Abraham, Luke would go further to Adam.
More so, John who once heard Jesus say, “before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), and on another occasion heard Him say, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), would begin Jesus’ gospel from the fact He was first and foremost divine and so preexisted Abraham and Adam (cf. John 1:1-14; 1 John 1:1-3). He had a deeper understanding of the mystery of Jesus as being God’s only begotten Son who existed before anything was created and through whom everything was created. Because of his high flight into the mystery of Christ, John is rightly seen as the eagle mentioned in the Book of Revelation (cf. Rev. 4:7).
Furthermore, where often the synoptic gospels only narrated the healing and other miracles by Jesus, John unearthed their deeper meanings; e.g., Jesus healed a blind man to demonstrate that He is the Light of the world (cf. John 9:1-7); Jesus multiplied loaves to manifest the fact that He is the Bread of Life (cf. John 6:1-15,22-35); etc.
Through the intercession of St. John, may our understanding of the mystery of Christ grow deeper with each passing day of the New Year and beyond.
CONCLUSION
Like St. John, let us aspire, with the help of his intercession and God’s grace, to become beloved disciples of Jesus by loving Him evermore dearly, believing Him more unreservedly, and deepening our understanding of His mystery. Amen!
