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I intended to finish these daily December reflections at Christmas, but these post-Christmas readings are just too good to miss.

There is a wonderful work of art illustrating the opening verses of this gospel for today’s feast of the evangelist and apostle John: “Peter and John running to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection” (Eugene Burnand 1898) captures the hope of the disciple John, the beloved, and the mixed feelings of Peter who was at once excited at the report of the women that Jesus was alive, and at the same time fearful at having to face the one whom he had betrayed.

And John present this so powerfully in the opening of his first letter: “We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands…”

The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke) give a prominence to James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, but they are mentioned only once in the gospel of John. Scholars suggest that this is John’s humility since he sought a background place that the full light shine on Jesus.

Following John’s example let’s pray that we will hear and see and touch the living present of Jesus evidenced in the routines and demands of our daily experience.