Introit
Eccli 15:5
In médio Ecclésiæ apéruit os eius: et implévit eum Dóminus spíritu sapiéntiæ et intelléctus: stolam glóriæ índuit eum
Ps 91:2
Bonum est confitéri Dómino: et psállere nómini tuo, Altíssime.
In the midst of the assembly the Lord opened his mouth; and filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding; He clothed him with a robe of glory.
Ps 91:2
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to Your name, Most High.
Collect
Ecclésiam tuam, Dómine, benígnus illústra: ut, beáti Ioánnis Apóstoli tui et Evangelístæ illumináta doctrínis, ad dona pervéniat sempitérna.
O Lord, graciously shed light upon Your Church, so that, enlightened by the teachings of blessed John, Your Apostle and Evangelist, she may gain Your everlasting rewards.
December 27—ST. JOHN, Evangelist
ST. JOHN, the youngest of the apostles in age, was called to follow Christ on the banks of the Jordan during the first days of Our Lord’s ministry. He was one of the privileged few present at the Transfiguration and the Agony in the garden. At the Last Supper his head rested on the bosom of Jesus, and in the hours of the Passion, when others fled or denied their Master, St. John kept his place by the side of Jesus, and at the last stood by the cross with Mary. From the cross the dying Saviour bequeathed His Mother to the care of the faithful apostle, who “from that hour took her to his own;” thus fitly, as St. Austin says, “to a virgin was the Virgin intrusted.” After the Ascension, St. John lived first at Jerusalem, and then at Ephesus. He was thrown by Domitian into a caldron of boiling oil, and is thus reckoned a martyr, though miraculously preserved from hurt. Afterwards he was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he received the heavenly visions described in tine Apocalypse. He died at a great age, in peace, at Ephesus, in the year 100.
Reflection.–St. John is a living example of Our Lord’s saying, “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.”
Gospel
Ioann 21:19-24
In illo témpore: Dixit Iesus Petro: Séquere me. Convérsus Petrus vidit illum discípulum, quem diligébat Iesus, sequéntem, qui et recúbuit in cena super pectus eius, et dixit: Dómine, quis est qui tradet te ? Hunc ergo cum vidísset Petrus, dixit Iesu: Dómine, hic autem quid? Dicit ei Iesus: Sic eum volo manére, donec véniam, quid ad te? tu me séquere. Exiit ergo sermo iste inter fratres, quia discípulus ille non móritur. Et non dixit ei Iesus: Non móritur; sed: Sic eum volo manére, donec véniam: quid ad te? Hic est discípulus ille, qui testimónium pérhibet de his, et scripsit hæc: et scimus, quia verum est testimónium eius.
R. Laus tibi, Christe!
At that time, Jesus said to Peter, Follow Me. Turning around, Peter saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who, at the supper, had leaned back upon His breast and said, Lord, who is it that will betray You? Peter therefore, seeing him, said to Jesus, Lord, and what of this man? Jesus said to him, If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to you? You, follow Me. This saying therefore went abroad among the brethren, that that disciple was not to die. But Jesus had not said to him, He is not to die; but rather, If I wish him to remain until I come, what is it to you? This is the disciple who bears witness concerning these things, and who has written these things, and we know that his witness is true.
