Introduction

Close to our Lord, obsessed by love. This may well be the marks of John the Evangelist. He had experienced in his person what it means to be loved by Jesus and to love in return. And Jesus was the Lord, God’s Son! In later life he was driven by this love, as his gospel and his first letter reveal to us. He was the man who preached love; the words he used, the urgency and insistence with which he spoke cannot come but from a man who lived this love deeply and who felt that this should be the mark too of the Christian communities.

Opening Prayer

Lord God, you are love itself.
We know that you loved us first
before we could ever love you.
Let this unforgettable experience
of your “beloved apostle” John
become also our deep and lasting experience.
May the love you have shown us
in your Son Jesus Christ
move us to love you very deeply in return
and overflow on all those we meet in life.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: 1 Jn 1:1-4

Beloved:
What was from the beginning,
what we have heard,
what we have seen with our eyes,
what we looked upon
and touched with our hands
concerns the Word of life–
for the life was made visible;
we have seen it and testify to it
and proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with the Father and was made visible to us–
what we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you,
so that you too may have fellowship with us;
for our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 97:1-2, 5-6, 11-12

R (12) Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice;
let the many isles be glad.
Clouds and darkness are around him,
justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne.
R Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his justice,
and all peoples see his glory.
R Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Light dawns for the just;
and gladness, for the upright of heart.
Be glad in the Lord, you just,
and give thanks to his holy name.
R Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

Gospel Reading: Jn 20:2-8

On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala ran to Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. And she said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have laid him."

Peter then set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb. They ran together but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down and saw the linen cloths lying flat, but he did not enter.

Then Simon Peter came following him and entered the tomb; he, too, saw the linen cloths lying flat. The napkin, which had been around his head was not lying flat like the other linen cloths but lay rolled up in its place. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and believed.

 

Commentary

St. John, whose feast we celebrate this day, is known as the beloved disciple. His closeness to the Lord Jesus is the model for every follower of Jesus, for the Lord calls us not servants but friends.

The Christmas season gives us pause to reflect upon the friendship that our God extends to us by making His dwelling among us. In becoming man, the Lord breaks down the barriers and makes it not only possible but highly likely for us to enter into relationship with Him. After all, who can resist the charm of a newborn baby?

General Intercessions

–   Lord Jesus, make us understand and put into practice that the core of the gospel is love for you and for one another, we pray:

–   Lord Jesus, may our words and actions bear witness that we believe and rejoice in you as our risen Lord, we pray:

–   Lord Jesus, make us happy people, who feel secure because we know that we live in your presence, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Father,
bread and wine are the signs
in which your Son gives himself to us today.
May these gifts be at the same time
the signs in which we place ourselves
at your disposal
and of the concrete you
who are our neighbors far and near,
our brothers and sisters whom you love
and whom we love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Our living and loving God,
who can nourish our love better
than he who spoke of it to us,
your Son Jesus Christ?
Like him, and strengthened by his body and blood,
may we respond to the warmth of your love
by caring for our brothers and sisters,
even at the expense of ourselves.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord.

Blessing

John is the apostle who insists that we should love one another as Jesus loves us. Jesus asks us to live in him as he lives in us. May we remain and grow in this love, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.