The Other Disciple

He is Risen, He is Truly Risen! Alleluia! A Blessed an Joyous Easter to all of you! It has been an extremely busy week. I actually took a weeks vacation to completely immerse myself in Holy Week and assist our two wonderful Priests. There are many highlights, being the Narrator on Palm Sunday, preaching at daily masses, The Chrism Mass and the journey to and back, the camaraderie that is growing between the Priests and myself, Holy Thursday, The Stations on Good Friday, Chanting on Good Friday, Processing and chanting with the New Paschal Candle (worrying not to stain or drop it!), Singing the Exultet, Witnessing the joy of our newest members of our community, Communion Service and preaching at the federal prison, assisting at morning Mass today, and comforting a family on their loss of a loved one. Did I miss anything? Probably! This week has filled my heart with so much love and joy. I won't get too many opportunities in my lifetime to preach on Easter Sunday, yet today I did. In today's Gospel from John we have the disciples Mary, Peter, and the other, searching for Christ! The other? Yes, the other.I was intrigued by that comment. Yes we know he was also called the beloved and we can safely assume it was John, or should we? What I preached about is that in Scripture we have even seemingly insignificant people being named. Malchus, whose ear was severed by Peter, and we have the repentant thief, St. Dismas. Yes, St. Dismas. We know what Christ said and we know their names, yet we have the reference of the "other disciple". Well, just imagine that John wanted us to believe that we were the "other disciple". Running to meet Christ, anxiously awaiting, and then after seeing "Believeing"! Are we the other disciple, maybe we should be!

Peace,

Deacon Mitch