Reflection for Wednesday 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:

What does the empty tomb of Jesus signify? It signifies that Jesus has risen after dying on the cross at Calvary. Simon Peter perhaps did not immediately believe in the resurrection of Jesus. Unlike the other disciples (John) who immediately believed after seeing the empty tomb and the burial cloths.

In this gospel episode it may seem that Peter and John are followers with contrasting intensity of faith. John with his rock-solid faith and Peter who seem to be reluctant to immediately believe.

But was Peter’s faith in the resurrection of Jesus really inadequate during that moment? Perhaps no, perhaps Peter chose to keep in his heart his faith in Jesus. In the silence of his heart Peter perhaps was also an instantaneous believer of the resurrection of Jesus.

Faith is a gift, like Peter many of us carry it in our hearts silently. We may not immediately notice this in our fellow human beings but it’s within them deeply rooted courtesy of Jesus.

Let us therefore pray to Jesus that He also give us this gift of faith. Let us also not forget to pray for our loved ones and friends so that they too may receive the same gift of faith. - Marino J. Dasmarinas