By Thamwar Monsang csc.
Readings: 1 Jn 1:1-4; Jn 20:1a, 2-8
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. John, the apostle and evangelist who played a vital role in the early Church in Jerusalem. The day Jesus called him for the mission, he followed Jesus and never looked back till his death.
Moreover, Jesus gave importance to John, who left his loving mother with him as written in the gospel of John, “woman, behold your son,” then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” and from that hour, the disciple took her to his own home. This is how Jesus gave a special place to John in his public ministry. Celebrating the feast of Saint John, the apostle and evangelist, calls us to be a witness to Christ. Saint John has paved the path for us to walk on.
The path is nothing but the love of God to humanity. This love will make us his witnesses. Like St. Joseph who became a witness for Christ’s nativity, or like Mother Mary, who stood by the cross and became a witness for Christ’s suffering, or like Saint Paul, who became a witness for Christ’s call and his salvific mission, we too are called to be witnesses of Christ, though in today’s scenario, it remains a pressing challenge. There are lots of outward forces like modern technology, religious fundamentalism, destruction of nature, etc destroying us. But being a witness is not dead and gone.
Even today, we have people who stand as witnesses to God’s love. So, this journey, which began 2000 years ago, continues even today. Let us be a fire that kindles other fires and ask the Lord to help us to stay in his love and be a witness to his love forever.