Passing of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
All-Night Vigil Feast. A day when the faithful are highly encouraged to participate in the Divine Liturgy.
1 John 4:12-19. John 19:25-27. 21:24-25
Read 1 John 4:12-19
Today we commemorate the Falling Asleep of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, and so the Church prescribes for us to read a passage from his first epistle. He writes about love. “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (1 Jn. 4:16). As God is love, we are called to love one another so that God may abide in us and His love be perfected in us. The greater that love is perfected in us, the more confidence we may have for the day of judgment. A few verses later John adds: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love” (1 Jn. 4:18). A sign that we love imperfectly is the presence of fear.
In John’s gospel, he records Jesus teaching: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn. 13:34). Jesus gave this new commandment after washing His disciples’ feet, after having explained to them: “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (Jn. 13:12-15). Since our Lord and Master was willing to humble Himself to wash the dirty feet of His disciples, what excuse would those disciples have for not washing anyone else’s feet? God calls us to perform acts of love. After the Mystical Supper, we know that Christ was arrested and suffered His Passion and death. Christ’s love for us did not stop at washing the disciples’ feet; He carried it to His death on the cross. Again, if our Lord and Master was willing to humble Himself and accept a brutal death for us, what excuse do we have not to pursue a love so perfect that we are willing to “lay down our lives for our friends” (see Jn. 15:13)?
How do others know that we are Christians? Is it because they see us wear a cross around our neck? Is it because we tell them we go to church? Is it because we decorate our house for Christmas? Although these are external signs that someone may identify as a Christian, we should strive to be recognized as Christians because of our radical love for God and neighbor. People should know that we are Christians by our love. Let us cast aside our fears and pray that God’s love may be perfected in us.