What a wonderful feast to celebrate this day. It is no accident that we celebrate this feast in the Christmas season. John was drawn into the life of Jesus as a devout and faith filled follower. The encounters with Jesus opened him to the message of hope, love, justice and compassion that was at the heart of Jesus’ teaching.

The gospel dispels any nagging fear and thoughts of loss, as John races to the tomb after being engaged by Mary of Magdala to come quickly and see what she had seen – an empty tomb. 

Peter, as impetuous as ever, races in first and is stunned. John hesitates. What would we do?  Imagine the despair, the uncertainty, the fear that his disciples were living with at this time. The brutal death of their friend, teacher, companion.  Have we ever had to try to grasp some unfathomable painful event in our lives? How long did it take us to come to terms with such possibly devastating news?

The disciple Jesus loved, hesitated. Probably trying to regather all the things Jesus had taught about his death and resurrection. And then he went into the tomb and ‘believed’ the fullness of the message of Jesus.

We are called to be open to the extraordinary truth of this season. Are we able to create the space to welcome the Word made Flesh, God as human?

Today, let my mantra be: ‘stretch out the tent pegs of my heart to make space for you in my life.’

by Anne Surtees osu