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
“Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’ At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk.” John 5:9
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.’” John 5:19
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life John” John 5:24
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” John 5:20
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.” John 6:11
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“They saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, ‘It is I, do not be afraid.’” John 6:19-20
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’” John 6:35
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever (feeds on me) will live because of me.” John 6:56-57
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:69
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” John 6:37-38
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery…’Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’” John 8:4,7
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’” John 8:12
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.” John 8:29
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” John 8:51
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
Selections from the Letters of John, the Beloved Disciple
“He who says “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:4-6
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“The darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it there is no cause for stumbling.” 1 John 2:8-10
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If any one loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever.” 1 John 2:15-17
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life.” 1 John 2:23-25
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“I write this to you about those who would deceive you; but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him.” 1 John 2:26-27
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
Selections from the Book of Revelation, by John the Beloved Disciple
“Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who conquers shall not be hurt by the second death.” Revelation 2:10-11
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“You hold fast my name and you did not deny my faith… To him who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone which no one knows except him who receives it.” Revelation 2:13,17
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first… He who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him power over the nations, and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received power from my Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ Revelation 2:18-19, 2:26-29
✠ You are my beloved disciple on whom my favor rests
“Remember then what you received and heard; keep that, and repent. If you will not awake, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you… He who conquers shall be clad thus in white garments, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life; I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:3,5-6
✠ Blessed are they that keep these words
“I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name…He who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God; never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:8,12-13
✠ 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