Saint John, The Evangelist

Saint John, The Evangelist, mentioned in the gospel as "the beloved disciple of Christ," was the younger brother of St. James the Greater and, like him, a fisherman. They were the disciples of John the Baptist and followed Jesus from the shores of Galilee. On the solemn occasion of the Last Supper, John, probably the youngest among the apostles, was permitted to recline his head on the Master's breast. 

He was the only one of the 12 disciples to remain at the foot of the Cross throughout Christ's agony, and it was to his loving care that the dying savior entrusted his Immaculate Mother. On the first Easter morning, John was again the first disciple to arrive at the empty tomb of Jesus. Post-resurrection, John spent his life heroically bearing witness to Jesus. He went to Asia Minor and, from Ephesus as a center, founded and governed "the Seven Churches." At Ephesus, John wrote what has been rightly termed the "Spiritual Gospel." Not long after, he was banished to Patmos by Emperor Domitian; this was where the Book of Revelations was written.

 

St. John's zeal and tender solicitude for his flock are beautifully expressed in his frequent admonitions like "Children, let us not love merely with words but in deed and in truth!" and "He who has love, has the life of God in him. God is love!". He was the last Apostle to die, living a long life in Ephesus.

"St. John, the apostle, understood what love is, experienced it, and as he entered into the heart of Jesus, he understood how it manifested itself" - Pope Francis

Prayer 

Merciful Father, we beseech Thee to cast Thy bright beams of light upon Thy Church, that it being enlightened by the doctrine of Thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint John may so walk in the light of Thy truth, that it may at length attain to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prepared and updated by:

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Penampang, Sabah Malaysia.