“… We have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us…”
In the Cleveland Museum of Art there hangs a sculpture, “Christ and Saint John the Evangelist, 1300-1320.” Sr. Wendy Beckett featured this piece in her work sharing her love and appreciation of art. John is shown resting his head on Jesus’ shoulder at the Last Supper. He would later witness Jesus dying and be entrusted to Mary and Mary to him. We celebrate his feast day today. The fourth Gospel with which he and his community of believers are identified is the Gospel of Love. We are asked to love Jesus in His unity with the Creating Father so that we in turn experience God’s love through the Spirit and love as God loves.
How do we sit with the Mystery of the Holy Trinity? Who is this Word Incarnate?
I have found it helpful to pray the Examen before an image of this sculpture of John. Relaxing into an awareness of God’s presence and indwelling, I ask for the grace to experience myself and others through Jesus’ loving, truthful eyes. Like John, I lean on Jesus and note where I have shared in the Creator’s labors, where I have recognized the Holy Spirit beckoning, and where I have been a disciple of Jesus, the Incarnate Word. I ask to experience myself in communion with God’s indwelling in all around me as well. Then I ask to see where I have fallen short. Jesus’ loving eyes and support help me here especially! I entrust myself to Jesus and look forward to the remainder of the day.
—Janet Lehane is Assistant Director of the Spirituality Program for Adults at St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland OH.