The Youthful John, Apostle and Evangelist

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

ON the Feast of St. John, the youngest of the apostles, we are reminded of how he, with St. Peter, first discovered the resurrection of the Lord. (cfr. Jn 20,1-8) When Mary Magdalene reported to them that the body of Christ was missing from the tomb, they immediately went out, running, to check.

It is said that St. John, being the younger of the two, ran ahead of Peter, but strangely enough, perhaps due to some deference he gave to the older Peter, he did not enter the tomb until Peter arrived, even if he already saw the linen cloths used to wrap the body of Christ just lying around.

The youthfulness of St. John was not only a matter of age, but also showed itself in his faith and love for Christ. It’s a faith and love that is simple and sincere, full of impetuosity, albeit not totally perfect. But it’s a faith and love that can help us be led to the deeper and farther reaches of how our faith and love for God and others should be. A certain forcefulness is always involved.

Indeed, we actually cannot avoid using some forcefulness. Even with our own selves, we have to use it, because if not then we would be totally dominated by our laziness, softness, fears, doubts. Right at the start of the day, when we get up, we have to use force, and that little daily task can require heroic efforts, both mental and physical.

It´s true that as we age, our physical strength can wane, but not the power of the mind nor of the will. In these latter two faculties, which are our spiritual powers, there´s no such thing as aging, unless we entirely submit them to the law of our physical life. Especially with the grace of God, they can go on gaining scope and depth.

So, in theory, because also of our spiritual nature, we can go on living. This is the natural basis for our immortality, that capacity to continue living even after our death. But since we are a unity of body and soul, of something material and spiritual, we always experience a certain tension within ourselves which we try to bear by using some forcefulness.

Besides, with our weakened condition because of sin, ours and those of others, plus the historical accumulation of sin´s effects, we have no choice but to use forcefulness if only to survive as a person and as a child of God.

Thus, our Lord told us, ¨From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force.¨ (Mt 11,12) Ergo, we really have to train ourselves to be strong and fit for life´s continuing struggle as we journey toward heaven.

Then there´s that social or apostolic duty we also have that needs forcefulness. We have to continually remind ourselves that we are responsible for one another. We came to life because of our parents. We grow and develop because of the help we get from others. We cannot avoid being with others. Then we realize we also have to do things for others.

But our responsibility toward others should not stay only in the level of our physical and natural needs. It goes all the way to helping others in their spiritual needs. We have to pound this truth more hardly into our head, since our tendency is to take the easy route and languish in the material and shallow aspects.

Let’s live out the youthful faith and love of St. John for us to go on loving God and others, whatever challenges and difficulties we may encounter along the way.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com