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On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon
Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them,
“They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where
they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to
the tomb. John 20:1–3
It’s interesting that Saint John refers to himself as the disciple
“whom Jesus loved.” Of course, Jesus loved all people. He loved all
of the disciples. But in John’s Gospel, this unique title of the
beloved disciple is given to John.
Saint John the Apostle may be understood as this beloved disciple
for many reasons. First, recall the special closeness and affection
John shows Jesus at the Last Supper when John reclined next to Him.
Recall, also, that it was John alone who stood at the foot of the
Cross with Jesus’ mother and that Jesus entrusted His mother to
John and John to His mother. And note in the passage above that it
was John who first ran to the empty tomb as soon as Mary Magdalene
revealed her discovery to him. Furthermore, many scholars believe
John to be the youngest disciple. And as a younger disciple, he may
have received special fatherly-like attention from our Lord.
However, John may also be understood as the beloved disciple for
another reason. Simply put, this is how John saw himself as he
wrote his Gospel account. John may have done so because telling the
story of Jesus’ life was deeply personal to him. His own love and
affection for his Lord was the central and most consuming passion
of his soul. And it appears that as John speaks of Jesus, and of
his own encounters with Jesus, John was compelled to prayerfully
ponder the holy and spiritual love that Jesus had for him. Thus, it
appears that John could not speak of his encounters with our Lord
without also identifying the divine love that united them. It’s as
if every time his Gospel story spoke of an encounter he had with
Jesus, John was overwhelmed by the simple fact that Jesus, the Son
of God, the Messiah, knew him and loved him personally. And so he
was compelled to state that fact over and over.
In this case, it’s quite beautiful, on a spiritual level, to ponder
John’s soul. He was clearly a man who was deeply touched by God in
the Person of Jesus. And after Jesus ascended into Heaven, it
appears that John’s holy love for Jesus only grew. As he went forth
as an Apostle, preaching about the salvation that comes through his
Savior and dear friend, he clearly grew closer to our Lord day by
day. When John wrote his Gospel toward the end of his life, his
heart was clearly aflame with divine love as he was intensely
looking forward to being fully united with his Lord in
Heaven.
As we honor this unique and holy Apostle, reflect, today, upon the
simple truth that you are also invited to share in the holy and
intimate love shared by Jesus and Saint John. Ponder the fact that
our Lord also loves you with perfect charity, intimacy and
totality. If you can gaze upon the love in the heart of this
beloved disciple, then you, too, can share in that love and become
a beloved disciple yourself.
My beloved Lord, the love You bestowed upon the disciple John
was perfect in every way. After Your ascension into Heaven, You
continued to deepen Your relationship with him, drawing him ever
closer to Your Sacred Heart. Please pour forth upon me that same
love and draw me into Your Heart so that I, too, will become Your
beloved disciple. Saint John, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in
You.
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Featured images above: Saint John with the Eagle, via flickr
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