Reflection for Saturday December 27 Feast of Saint John, Apostle and Evangelist: John 20:1a, 2-8

Gospel: John 20:1a, 2-8

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb.  

They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed.

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Reflection:

Do we sometimes experience a deep longing within us—a hunger for God—yet feel as though we cannot find Him? There are moments when we search for His presence, cry out for Him in prayer, and still feel the silence. In those moments, let us not give up. For when we persevere and continue seeking Him with sincere hearts, we will surely find Him.

If we desire to encounter God more easily and allow Him to become our friend and daily companion, we are invited to commit ourselves to a life rooted in faith and devotion:

Let us always make time to be present at the celebration of the Holy Mass, where we encounter Christ in Word and Sacrament.

Let us cultivate a daily habit of prayer at least twice a day—upon waking in the morning and before retiring at night—entrusting our day and our rest to the Lord.

Let us develop a daily habit of prayerful and planned reading of the Holy Bible, beginning with the first four Gospels of the New Testament, so that we may come to know Jesus more deeply.

Let us discover the immense spiritual blessings that flow from praying the Holy Rosary, as we walk with Mary and contemplate the life of her Son.

Let us nurture a deep hunger for the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Reconciliation, where we receive healing, forgiveness, and renewed strength.

When we faithfully embrace these practices, we come to realize that God is never far from us. He walks beside us, dwells within us, and remains present in every season of our lives.

In the Gospel, Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, and the other disciple went to the tomb of Jesus, only to discover that He was no longer there, for He had already risen from the dead. They were searching for His physical presence, yet the Risen Lord was already alive in their hearts. Their closeness to Jesus did not end at the empty tomb; it was transformed into a deeper, living relationship.

In the same way, even when we feel that God is absent, He is often closer than we think—quietly present, patiently waiting, lovingly calling us to trust and remain with Him.

So today, let us ask ourselves: Are we truly seeking the Lord with persevering hearts, and are we willing to draw closer to Him each day so that we may recognize His living presence in our own lives? – Marino J. Dasmarinas