REFLECTIONS TODAY

The Gospel reading tells the resurrection story involving Peter and the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” He “outruns” Peter not only in running to the tomb but also in believing that Jesus is alive. His intimacy with Jesus makes him receptive to the signs in the empty tomb. Church tradition identifies the Beloved Disciple with the apostle John, the son of Zebedee. This identification owes much to the work of Irenaeus (about AD 130-200) who is credited for rescuing the Fourth Gospel from the Gnostics who flourished in the second century. Irenaeus writes, “Afterwards, John the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned on his breast, did himself publish a gospel during his residence at Ephesus in Asia.” 

The Beloved Disciple is identified as the author of the Gospel (Jn 21:20). He was a former disciple of John the Baptist. He played an important role at the Last Supper and at the resurrection. He was more open to faith than Peter, as today’s Gospel shows. There were obviously some Christians who believed that he would be alive for the return of the Lord. However, he died, and this had to be explained at the epilogue of the Fourth Gospel. Today, the Gospel according to John continues to remain a most fascinating gospel, and this is not determined by whether or not John the apostle was its author.

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.
 

Gospel • Jn 20:1a, 2-8 

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.

Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected].