Gospel and Saint of the day: 27 December 2019

First letter of St. John the apostle 1,1-4.
Dear ones, what was from the beginning, what we heard, what we saw with our eyes, what we contemplated and what our hands touched, that is, the Word of life
(since life has become visible, we have seen it and we bear witness to it and we announce eternal life, which was with the Father and made itself visible to us),
what we have seen and heard, we also announce it to you, so that you too may be in communion with us. Our communion is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
We write these things to you, so that our joy will be perfect.

Salmi 97(96),1-2.5-6.11-12.
The Lord reigns, exult the earth,
all the islands rejoice.
Clouds and darkness envelop him
justice and law are the basis of his throne.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens herald his justice
and all peoples contemplate his glory.

A light has risen for the just,
joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice, righteous, in the Lord,
give thanks to his holy name.

From the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to John 20,2: 8-XNUMX.
On the day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them: "They took the Lord away from the tomb and we do not know where they placed him!".
Then Simon Peter went out with the other disciple, and they went to the sepulcher.
Both ran together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and came first to the tomb.
Bending over, he saw the bandages on the ground, but did not enter.
Meanwhile Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb and saw the bandages on the ground,
and the shroud, which had been placed on his head, not on the ground with bandages, but folded in a separate place.
Then the other disciple, who had come first to the tomb, also entered and saw and believed.

27 December

SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE and EVANGELIST

Bethsaida Julia, 104st century - Ephesus, XNUMX ca.

Son of Zebedee, he was together with his brother James and Peter witness of the transfiguration and passion of the Lord, from whom he received being at the foot of the cross Mary as mother. In the Gospel and in other writings he proves himself theologian, who, considered worthy of contemplating the glory of the Incarnate Word, announced what he saw with his own eyes. (Roman martyrology)

PRAYER

For that angelic purity, which always formed your character, and deserved you the most singular privileges, that is to be the favorite disciple of Jesus Christ, to rest on his breast, to contemplate his glory, to witness closely the wonders more wonderful, and finally to be from the very mouth of the Redeemer declared son and guardian of his divine Mother; obtain, please, O glorious St. John, the grace to always jealously guard the chastity convenient to our state, and to avoid anything that could offend her in the least, to deserve the most distinguished graces, and especially the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the surest deposit of perseverance in good and eternal bliss.

Glory to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, now and forever, forever and ever. Amen.