Peter famously shared in the passion and death of Christ. Jesus himself foretold this, alerting Peter that his life of witness and ministry would culminate in holy martyrdom (John 21:18).

John also is to be a witness, yet his witness takes another form. He is still honoured as a martyr, for tradition holds that he was willing to die rather than renounce his faith, though he was miraculously spared. His great testimony is recorded in the biblical tradition.

John’s Gospel, and the other writings in the Johannine corpus, claim the status of an eyewitness account. They offer a testimony to the person of Christ that is without parallel. We are reminded that this ‘beloved disciple’ was close to the heart of Christ and so knew him intimately. These writings, and the tradition upon which they are based, are the fruit of deep reflection over many years. They are richly theological and full of symbolic meaning. They speak of one called to ‘remain’ in prayer and contemplation, so as to truly know the Lord and thus be able to ‘testify’ to the truth.

None of us knows how our own life will unfold. Whether we live long or short, we too are called to be witnesses. Yet we must witness to what we know. In matters of faith, it is rarely enough to report facts. We do not see the Lord with our eyes, yet we can draw near to his heart—remaining in prayerful vigil, offering the witness of our lives in solidarity with both Peter and John.

By Fr Michael Grace