Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist
John begins his letter with striking simplicity. He speaks of what he has heard, seen, touched, and witnessed. He does not offer theories or abstractions. He offers experience. And he offers it so that you may have communion with God, the same communion that shaped his entire life. His words invite you to look at your own experience of faith, not as something distant or theoretical, but as something grounded in the concrete moments of your real life. Where have you “heard” God nudging you through another person’s words? Where have you “seen” signs of grace in your relationships, your work, or your interior struggles? Where have you “touched” a moment of unexpected peace or clarity?
The Gospel takes us to the empty tomb. John runs ahead but stops short. He hesitates. He sees enough to be stirred, yet waits for Peter to enter first. This moment of restraint is deeply human. You likely know what it feels like to stand at the threshold of something new, sensing that your understanding is changing, but not yet ready to step fully into it. You know what it is to feel drawn toward deeper faith while carrying questions or uncertainties.
John eventually enters the tomb, and the Gospel tells us that he “saw and believed.” His belief did not come through dramatic revelation, but through patient, attentive openness. This is the path offered to you as well. Faith often deepens not through sudden certainty, but through the willingness to stay near the mystery rather than walk away from it.
Today invites you to bring your own questions, hopes, and unfinished places to God. Like John, you are asked simply to remain close, to look again, and to allow belief to grow in its own quiet way.
Reflection by Fr. Etienne Huard, OSB
Posted in Articles for Christmas, Daily Reflections