The Feast of St John the Evangelist, Year A
Readings: 1 John 1:1–4; Psalm 96(97):1–2, 5–6, 11–12; John 20:2–8
27 December 2025
“… reached the tomb first.” – John 20:4
I always find it a curious detail of this story that John felt the need to share that he ran faster than Peter and got to the tomb first! Did he have a competitive streak? It definitely makes him a relatable figure! But the humanness of these details also lends an air of authenticity to what he’s about to tell us, because the point of the story he’s telling is not about the race to the tomb at all, but actually what happened after they arrived. What both Peter and John saw led them to believe something so stupendous and amazing that they spent the rest of their lives telling people about it!
Our own faith is based on their testimony. In a sense, John ran ahead of us, too, and through his Gospel, we are able to follow him and Peter into the tomb, see what they saw, and believe what they believed.
What did they see? An empty tomb and some folded linen cloths. What did they believe? That Jesus had risen from the dead! Notice that Peter and John’s faith in the resurrection is not initially built on seeing the risen Jesus, but on the evidence of the empty tomb!
So, too, for us! Probably none of us has physically encountered the risen Jesus in his unveiled humanity. But through the account of this first-hand witness, we, too, have been able to see and believe!
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of faith given to us through the witness of those who have gone before us! Amen.
Katherine Stone MGL
Katherine Stone MGL is a sister with the Missionaries of God’s Love. Originally from Tasmania, she joined the MGL Sisters in 2005, and is currently living in Melbourne. She has studied theology and spiritual direction and works as the Sisters’ vocations director. For fun, she co-hosts a podcast called Contemplating Culture: A Missionary Walk Through a Secular Age, looking at how the Western world got where it is and what this means for sharing the Gospel today.
With thanks to the Diocese of Wollongong, who have supplied this reflection from their publication, The Promise: Advent and Christmas Daily Reflections 2025. Reproduced with permission.
