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Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian · Saints and Scripture

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  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Saints and Scripture Podcast.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today is Saturday, september twenty sixth, twenty twenty six.
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  SPEAKER_00: Today we remember the repose of the holy apostle and evangelist John the Theologian.
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  SPEAKER_00: John was the son of Zebede and Salome, who was a daughter of Saint Joseph the Betrothed.
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  SPEAKER_00: He was called by our Lord Jesus Christ to be one of his apostles along with his elder brother James at the Sea of Galilee.
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  SPEAKER_00: John left his father behind and followed the Lord.
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  SPEAKER_00: He was especially loved by Jesus for his sacrificial love and virginal purity.
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  SPEAKER_00: John stayed close to Jesus throughout his ministry and was one of the three apostles who were particularly near to him.
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  SPEAKER_00: He witnessed many important events, including the raising of Jairus' daughter, and the transfiguration on Mount Tabor.
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  SPEAKER_00: At the Last Supper, John reclined next to Jesus and even asked who would betray him.
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  SPEAKER_00: John followed Jesus when he was arrested and stood by the cross with the mother of God.
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  SPEAKER_00: Jesus entrusted his mother to John's care, saying, Woman, behold thy son, and to John, behold thy mother.
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  SPEAKER_00: From that moment John cared for the Virgin Mary until her dormition.
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  SPEAKER_00: After her dormition, John went to Ephesus and other cities in Asia Minor to preach the gospel.
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  SPEAKER_00: He took his disciple Prochorus with him.
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  SPEAKER_00: During their journey their ship was caught in a terrible storm, and John was lost at sea for fourteen days.
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  SPEAKER_00: Prochorus found him alive on the shore, and they continued to Ephesus.
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  SPEAKER_00: John's preaching was powerful and accompanied by many miracles, leading many to believe in Christ.
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  SPEAKER_00: During the persecution under Emperor Nero, John was taken to Rome for trial.
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  SPEAKER_00: He was sentenced to death but survived drinking poison and being thrown into boiling oil.
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  SPEAKER_00: Later John was exiled to the island of Patmos.
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  SPEAKER_00: There he continued preaching and performing miracles, healing the sick and casting out demons.
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  SPEAKER_00: He faced opposition from sorcerers, especially one named Kenops, whom John defeated by God's grace.
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  SPEAKER_00: On Patmos, John fasted and prayed, and the Spirit of God revealed to him the words recorded in the book of Revelation.
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  SPEAKER_00: This book contains prophecies about the church's trials and the end of the world.
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  SPEAKER_00: After many years, John was freed and returned to Ephesus.
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  SPEAKER_00: He wrote his gospel around the year ninety five and three epistles, emphasizing love for God and neighbor.
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  SPEAKER_00: John is called the apostle of love because he taught that without love no one can come near to God.
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  SPEAKER_00: In his old age, John sought out a youth who had strayed and lovingly urged him to repent, even offering to take on the youth's sins.
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  SPEAKER_00: The youth was moved and changed his life.
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  SPEAKER_00: John lived to be over a hundred years old, outliving the other apostles.
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  SPEAKER_00: When he died, he asked his disciples to bury him in a cross-shaped grave outside Ephesus.
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  SPEAKER_00: When they later opened the grave, it was found empty.
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  SPEAKER_00: Each year on may eighth, a fine dust would come from his grave, bringing healing to those who gathered it.
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  SPEAKER_00: The church also celebrates John on that day.
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  SPEAKER_00: John and his brother James were called the sons of thunder by Jesus, symbolizing their fiery and sacrificial love.
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  SPEAKER_00: The eagle, representing the heights of his theological insight, is the symbol of John the Theologian.
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  SPEAKER_00: He is the only apostle given the title theologian for his vision of God's mysterious judgments.
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  SPEAKER_00: May we learn from the Apostle John to love God and one another deeply and to remain faithful witnesses to Christ.
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  SPEAKER_00: Let us pray.
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  SPEAKER_00: Lord help us to follow the example of Saint John, loving you and our neighbors with pure hearts.
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  SPEAKER_00: Strengthen our faith and keep us close to you.
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  SPEAKER_00: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God.
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  SPEAKER_00: Amen.