St John the Apostle

1John 1:1-4

1 We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. 2 This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Food for thought!

Today, 27 of December, is the Feast of St. John, the apostle. This man was special, very special. Of all of the apostles of Jesus, he is the only one referred to as “the beloved disciple” of Jesus. You remember that, of all the 12 apostles of Jesus, he was the only one that stayed with Jesus till the end; he was there at the cross of Jesus; he stayed faithful until the end; he loved until the end. Among the twelve apostles no one knew Jesus as much as John. And in today’s readings John shares with us what he knows of Jesus: “We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life.”

When everybody sits down to write a letter or stands to preach a sermon, must have some object in view. He wishes to produce some effect in the minds and hearts and lives of those to whom his message is addressed. And here at the very beginning of his letter John sets down his objective in writing to his people.

(i) The objective is to produce fellowship with men and fellowship with God (1Jn. 1:3). Our aim must always be to bring others closer to one another and closer to God. Any message which brings about division is a false message. 

(ii) The objective is to bring his people joy (1Jn. 1:4), Joy is the essence of the Good news of Jesus. A message whose only effect is to depress and to discourage those who hear it has stopped halfway. The ultimate note of the Christian message is joy.

(iii) The objective is to set Jesus Christ before others. This is, by the way, the ultimate purpose of our "Food for thought"; to set Jesus before you, and you before Jesus. Once you are before Jesus, the rest is between you two.