St John – December 27

John, Apostle and Evangelist, is celebrated on 27 December. John. Son of Zebedee,
was called by Jesus as he and his brother James were mending their fishing nets by the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4. 21).
He was also present at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17. 1 – 8) and in the Garden of Gethsemane.
In the Gospel ascribed to John, at the Last Supper and at the Crucifixion there is mention of the disciple ‘whom Jesus loved’ (John 13. 23; 19.26)
and it may be assumed that this is John alluding to himself. He is the disciple who runs ahead of Peter to the tomb.
He enters after Peter ‘and he saw and believed’ (John 20. 8). With Peter he is active in healing (Acts 3. 1 – 11)
and is arrested after annoying the authorities with proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection. (Acts 4. 3).

In the Gospel many symbols are used: light, water bread, vine, shepherd.

During the time of persecution of Christians, John is thought to have gathered a group of disciples at Ephesus where he may have written the Gospel and his three letters.  He may also have written the Revelation, possibly at Patmos. There is a great deal of discussion and uncertainty about the authorship of these five books.

In the life of John we can see faithfulness, loyalty and devotion.

In his writings he emphasises “love”:

‘God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them’ (1 John 4. 16b).

The symbol of St John is the eagle, one of the four living creatures around the throne of God (Revelation 4. 7)