Opening Prayer
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
✠ Amen
As we read the Gospel of John, his Letters, and the Book of Revelation help us to discover his character, so we might know the treasure of the Beloved Disciple.
Most Holy Trinity, we praise you that we may look upon you with unveiled eyes being transformed from glory to glory by the Lord who is the Spirit. In your grace you lavish your blessings upon each of us as beloved disciples, so that we may be equipped to face the challenges of this hour. [Adapted from 2 Corinthians 3:18]
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come Thy will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
✠ Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespasses As we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil.
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
✠ Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners. Now, and at the hour of our death.
Glory Be (Gloria Patri)
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
✠ Amen.
Selections from the Gospel of John, the Beloved Disciple
“He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him.” John 13:5
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” John 13:20
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him.” John 13:23
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” John 14:1-2
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:3
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“ Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” John 14:15-16
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live.” John 14:19
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.” John 14:20
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” John 14:21
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” John 14:23
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.” John 14:26
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” John 14:27
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I.” John 14:28
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
Selections from the Letters of John, the Beloved Disciple
“He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world…. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” 1 John 4:4,6
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:8-9
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4:11-12
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” 1 John 4:15
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
Selections from Revelations, by John, the Beloved Disciple
“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all therein, saying, “To him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might for ever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” Revelation 5:11-14
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“After this (the opening of the six seals and the glory and wrath revealed therein) I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 7:9-12
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Who are these, clothed in white robes, and whence have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Revelation 7:13
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:15-17
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, loud noises, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.” Revelation 8:1-5
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
Closing Prayers
Most Holy Trinity, we have read selections from the Gospel of John, the Letters of John, and the Book of Revelation to help us see you like John sees you, to love you like John loves you, to take on the character of John… so that we may abide in you and you in us and become beloved disciples, transformed from glory to glory, by the Lord who is the Spirit.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit .
✠ Amen