Love consists not in feeling great things
but in having a great detachment
and in suffering for the beloved.
~St. John the Apostle
St. John the Evangelist, “the disciple whom Jesus loved”, also referred to as the Apostle of Charity, is the patron saint of love, loyalty, friendship, and authors. He is the youngest of all disciples. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome and was the brother of St. James. They lived on the shores of the sea of Galilee. They were directed to Jesus by the words “Behold the Lamb of God.” From that hour St. John became a follower of Jesus and his love was so deep, strong and true that he was admitted to great and particular favour from the Lord.
In fact, it was Saint John to whom Jesus confided the care of his mother and the Church. Jesus spoke some of the only words from the cross to His Mother Mary and to Saint John, “John, behold your Mother…Woman, behold your son. He is certainly a model of true friendship and devotion. From what is revealed in sacred Scripture we know that John was present at key events in Jesus’ life: many miracles, including the Transfiguration, the institution of the Eucharist, the Lord’s Crucifixion, and the discovery of the Resurrection.
St. John was the only one of the Apostles who did not die a martyr’s death—it was the Will of God that he should remain a “living example of holiness unto all men,” to the great age of nearly a hundred years. Three Epistles come to us from the hand of the Beloved Disciple.
Tradition tells us a beautiful story of St. John’s last days on earth. Feeling that his time was short, and being so weak that he could no longer walk to the church where he had been accustomed to teach, the old Apostle entreated his friends to bear him in their arms so that he might once more speak of Christ. They did what he desired; but when he looked round upon the assembly his strength failed him, the words he longed to utter died upon his feeble tongue, he could only raise his trembling hands in a last blessing and falter, “Little children, love one another, love one Another!”
Like the Patron Saint, St. John’s School stands up for values of love and brotherhood, calling us all to live like brothers and sisters in harmony with one another.