“Be a Peter or a John;
Hasten to the sepulcher,
Running together,
Running against one another,
Vying in the noble race.
And even if you are beaten in speed,
Win the victory of showing
who wants it more
Not just looking into the tomb,
but going in.”
(On Holy Easter, Oration 45)
Hasten to the sepulcher,
Running together,
Running against one another,
Vying in the noble race.
And even if you are beaten in speed,
Win the victory of showing
who wants it more
Not just looking into the tomb,
but going in.”
(On Holy Easter, Oration 45)
This poem is an excerpt from a larger work by Saint Gregory Nazianzus, known in patristic studies as ‘the Poet’ and ‘the Theologian.’ This poem is grounded in the following verse from today’s Mass Readings:
“They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first ...” (John 20:4)
O God,
Who through the blessed Apostle John
have unlocked for us the secrets of Your Word,
grant, we pray,
that we may grasp with proper understanding
what he has so marvelously brought to our ears.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Who through the blessed Apostle John
have unlocked for us the secrets of Your Word,
grant, we pray,
that we may grasp with proper understanding
what he has so marvelously brought to our ears.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
On this feast of Saint John, Evangelist and Apostle, consider some sacred study about the Gospel according to Saint John. Click here for the “Introduction” to this Gospel from the New American Bible, Revised edition. Click here for a reflection on Saint John given by Pope-Emeritus Benedict in August 2006.
Glory to You Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!
as it was in the beginning is now
and will be forever. Amen. Alleluia!
