Saint of the Day
St. John the Apostle and Evangelist
John the son of Zebedee was one of the Twelve Apostles and the only one traditionally believed to have died of old age rather than martyrdom. He was part of Jesus' inner circle alongside Peter and James, present at the Transfiguration and Gethsemane. He is credited as the author of the Gospel of John, three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. The Gospel identifies him as the "Beloved Disciple" who reclined near Jesus at the Last Supper and who stood at the foot of the cross. He spent his last decades in Ephesus, dying around 100 AD.
Scripture Reading
1 John 1:4-7
We write this to make our joy complete. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Reflection
John the Apostle — the Beloved Disciple — writes from the end of a long life, and what he wants most to communicate is the light he encountered in Christ. He is not offering theory; he is reporting testimony. He touched this light with his own hands. Walking in that light, he says, produces community, joy, and purification. The Christmas gift is not sentiment but life-transforming light.
Prayer for Today
Dear Lord,
I'm not a perfect person and forgive me if I can't get the words exactly the way I want them to sound. Thanks for my family and the food on our table. Thanks for laughter and friendship and the opportunities you've given me.
I'm sure there are about a million other things that I'm forgetting to thank you for, but just know that I'm thankful. I pray we have a great day today, I pray that I didn't burn the food and I pray the neighbors forgive me for using their lawn like a parking lot. Thank you, Lord. Amen!
I'm not a perfect person and forgive me if I can't get the words exactly the way I want them to sound. Thanks for my family and the food on our table. Thanks for laughter and friendship and the opportunities you've given me.
I'm sure there are about a million other things that I'm forgetting to thank you for, but just know that I'm thankful. I pray we have a great day today, I pray that I didn't burn the food and I pray the neighbors forgive me for using their lawn like a parking lot. Thank you, Lord. Amen!
Amen.