27 December: Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist

John, whose name means “God  is gracious”, was described by Paul as a “pillar” of the Church (Gal 2:9). He was originally from Galilee, probably from near Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee).

According to Matthew, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome and the brother of James the Great. According to Mark, his father was a fisherman and his mother was one of the women who followed Jesus to Calvary

John is Jesus’ beloved disciple who understood and proclaimed the primacy of the new commandment of love, always remaining close to his Lord. He was initially the disciple of John the Baptist, and long with Andrew, he was one of the first Apostles to meet Jesus (Jn 1:40).

Called by Christ with his brother James as he was on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he immediately abandoned his boat and his father to follow him. John was present during the most important moments of Jesus’ life, including the resurrection of the daughter of Jairo, the miraculous catch of fish, the multiplication of the loaves, the Transfiguration and the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

He was the only Apostle at the foot of the Cross, beside Mary. Jesus entrusted John to Mary as, as her son, and she to him as his Mother. Together with Peter, he received the first proclamation of the Resurrection and ran to the empty tomb. He witnessed all the Apparitions of the Risen Jesus up to the Ascension, and after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he immediately began to preach and was imprisoned with Peter. After leaving Jerusalem, he proclaimed the Gospel in Asia Minor, where he led the Church of Ephesus.

Tradition holds that he was deported to Patmos, where he had visions described in the Book of Revelations. In addition to his Gospel, he left behind three Letters. He is said to have died as a very elderly man, during the reign of Domitian, at the end of the first century. The Church remembers and celebrates him, two days after the Nativity of Christ.