Feast of St. John

Merry Christmas! Yes, I am several days late with a Christmas post, but A.) we are within the octave of The Day, and according to the age-old tradition of the Church, every day within the octave is Christmas; and B.) I have been celebrating properly, a right good and merry series of Christmas days,which is far more important that writing about it. But, in the proper spirit of this most joyous and blessed of seasons, I say it again: Merry Christmas! May it be a time of blessing, grace and joy to all of you. And to that end, here's to a cup of cheer with friends, round the fire.

Today is the feast day of St. John the Evangelist, the disciple Christ loved, the youngest, the one to whom He gave the care of His most blessed Mother, John the Evangelist who, having taken up eagle’s wings and hastening toward higher matters, discusses the Word of God.

I don't have a carol nor a hymn to share with you today, but I found this beautiful poem by Christina Rossetti, which seems ideally suited for the day:

Earth cannot bar flame from ascending,

Hell cannot bind light from descending,

Death cannot finish life never ending.

Eagle and sun gaze at each other,

Eagle at sun, brother at Brother,

Loving in peace and joy one another.

O St. John, with chains for thy wages,

Strong thy rock where the storm-blast rages,

Rock of refuge, the Rock of Ages.

Rome hath passed with her awful voice,

Earth is passing with all her joys,

Heaven shall pass away with a noise.

So from us all follies that please us,

So from us all falsehoods that ease us,–

Only all saints abide with their Jesus.

Jesus, in love looking down hither,

Jesus, by love draw us up thither,

That we in Thee may abide together.