1.- Saint John´s evangel is like the eagle: she immerses in the heights, she observes from there and she plunges towards the abyss. From the prologue to the end, going through the signals, the dialogues and the paschal experience, the evangelist follows the track of God´s word; he picks it up flying. He, of course, feels Jesus absence (so much time has passed by!), but he announces his presence in history. Not only the disciple, but also a net of communities are witness: we have contemplated his glory (Jn 1,14).
2.- The symbolism of the eagle is also applied to Saint John´s evangel from de constellation language. If Aquarius, Taurus and Leo respectively correspond to Saint Mathew, Saint Luke and Saint Mark evangels, Scorpio (represented in the antiqueness like a flying eagle too) corresponds to that of Saint John. The four evangels are the gate of the new world, created by the Resurrected Christ. Each one of the evangels is a constellation of stars (of lights, of signals, of communities), which sparkle in the night.
3.- An ancient tradition ascribes the fourth evangel to the apostle Saint John, who (with James) is one of the sons of Zebedee, fishermen (Mk 1,19), to whom Jesus named “sons of the thunder” (Mk 3,17) Peter, James and John enjoy a special confidence with Jesus (Mk 5,37; 9,2; 14,33). Irenaeus (about 140-202) identifies John like the “loved disciple” (Adv. Haer.,III,1,2), one of the apostles (ib, II,33,3). Irenaeus, when a child, listened Policarp (Smyrna bishop) and he heard him to talk about his contacts with “John, the disciple of the Lord” (ib., III,3,4; Eusebius, HE., V, 20,5).
4.- The evangelist delivers testimony (Jn 21,24) about Jesus. The person of Christ is not only important, but also indispensable, central. Saint John writes so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: believe and you will give life through his Name (20,31). The redaction date is situated by the end of the first century. By then the communities that receive Saint John´s evangel (around Ephesus, Minor Asia) have a large story of rejection and expulsion by the Judaism: Jesus is considered like an impostor. In the other side, the gnosis (knowledge) was the religious and philosophic current of that epoch: it defended the existence of two infinitely different and incommunicated between each other worlds. As a consequence of this dualism, Christ (since he was God) could have been man only in appearance (docetism).
5.- In the beginning was the Word (Jn 1,1), proclaims Saint John. His flight goes up to the first words of the Genesis: to the beginning of the creation (Gn 1,1) God´s Word by which the world was created was there: All things were made through him and without him nothing came to be (Jn1,3). It is said in the Genesis: God said: Let there be light, and there was light (Gn 1,3), and successively so. God calls the non-existent like if already existing (Rm 4,17), The world is neither a product of venture nor is blindly oriented. It is sung in the psalms: He who formed the eye, will he not see (Ps 94,9). The universe is like an open book: it speaks us about God. Even more, the universe is inspired: God talks to us through it. Saint John´s evangel begins with a reply to the jewish official teaching, according to which at the beginning was the Torah, the Law. Rabbi Eliezer ben Joseph, from Galilee (about 150 a. D), said: “Before the world was made the Torah had been written and stayed in God´s chest” It was considered that the Torah pre-existed with God from the beginning: “Seven things were created before the world existed: the Torah, the repentance, the Paradise, the Gehenna, the throne of the Glory, the Sanctuary and the name of the Messiah” (Pesahim, 54ª Bar.; see Jn 17,24). Nevertheless, the evangelist proclaims: In the beginning was the Word (no the Torah) and the Word was with God and the Word was God. She was in the beginning with God (Jn 1,1-2).
6.- Whatever has come to be, it found life in him, life which for humans was also light, light that shines in the dark: light that darkness could not overcome (Jn 1,4-5). From the beginning of the creation to the present, an intense combat is fought, cosmic and historic, of the darkness against the light. We receive the light with the life. Light and life come to be same thing. In the jewish world both symbols are often used. So, for instance, in the rabbinic teaching: “the Torah… gives, to those who follow it, the life at this age and in the future age” (Pirqe Abot 7,6). And in the wisdom books: For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light (Pro 6, 23). And in the psalms: Your word is a lamp to my feet, a light for my path (119,105). Well enough, the reply to the jewish official teaching continues. There was a man who prepared the path to that who is the light of the world.
7.- A man came, sent by God; his name was John. He came to bear witness, like a witness to introduce the Light so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light but a witness to introduce the Light (Jn 1, 6-8). In John the Baptist testimony his prophetic function proclaiming justice is not emphasized, the emphasis is places in his function like a witness of the light, id est, that of a messenger preparing the way to Christ. Prophet Isaiah words are in this manner accomplished: A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way for Yahweh (Is 40, 3; Jn 1,23). And in these other from the prophet Malaquías: Now I am sending my messenger ahead of me to clear the way (Mal 3,1; Mt 11,10).
8.- John precedes Jesus in time, but not in dignity: Among you stands one whom you do not know, although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal (Jn 1, 26-27). John says too: This is the one who comes after me, but he is already ahead of me for he was before me (1,15). Something similar says Jesus referring to Abraham: Before Abraham was, I am (8,58). It is taken into account here the rabbinic teaching, according to which God had created the name of the Messiah (Christ, in greek) before the world was created. It is said in the psalms: May his name endure forever, may his name be as lasting as the sun (Ps 72,17). And it was commented in this manner: “his name was established before the sun existed”. Jesus was the centre of history from ever, since God´s glory was to bright in him (17,1), the project that God had from the beginning should be fulfilled in him (1,1).
9.- For the light was coming into the world, the true Light that enlightens everyone (Jn 1,9). In short sentences, in successive approaches, Saint John sings (in a thanksgiving hymn) the immense adventure of the Word, the true light, that illuminates to everyman and that comes to this world, in the following steps: the world and the man, the elected people, Christ.
10.- He was already in the world and through the world was made, the very world that did not know him (Jn 1,10). In first place the Word came to the world. In the book of the Proverbs appears God´s Wisdom leading the world development: Yahweh created me first at the beginning of his works… when he laid the foundations of the earth; I was close beside him the designer of his works (Pro 8, 22-30). God speaks to us through the wonder of creation: The heavens declare the glory of God (Ps 19,2). But the world, pagan, did not know him. This calamity is reflected in the book of Wisdom: The natural helplessness of men is seen in their ignorance of God… they were interested in his works, but they did not recognize the author of them (Wis 13,1; see Rm 1,19.21)
11.- He came to his home, yet his own people did not receive him (Jn 1,11). Before the general indifference, God elects a people, to whom he could talk in a clearer and more intimae manner. God´s Wisdom calls to everybody in any way and situation: Who calls? Is not the Wisdom? Is it not Knowledge? She shouts from the hilltops. It is you, O men, I address… listen to me for I speak of vital things (Pro 8,1-6). Besides, Wisdom has built her house… she has prepared her wine and laid her table (Pro 9,1-2; see Mt 22, 1-14). In vain. The elected people, altogether, did not listen God´s Word.
12.- But all who have received him he empowers to become children of God for they believe in his Name. These are born, but without seed or carnal desire or will of man: they are born of God (Jn 1,12-13). So that, there was (and there is) a rest: those who are born from God (in plural not in singular) According to the rabbinic teaching, the Law makes the men children of God: “Loved is Israel, since they are named children of God… to them was granted the precious instrument with which the world was created… don´t forget my Torah” (Pirqe Abot 3,19). Nevertheless, it is necessary to receive the Word to become children of God (1,12; see 10, 34-36). Jesus says that the Scripture names gods to those to whom God´s Word was addressed (10,34), that the Word (his Word) resuscitates the dead (5,25), who are children of God being children of the resurrection (Lk 20,36) It is necessary to be born from above (Jn 3,3), to be born again (3,4), to be born from the Spirit (3,6), to be born from God (1 Jn 3,9). His Word makes us children of God (see Gal 4,6).
13.- And the Word was made flesh; he had his tent pitched among us, and we have seen his Glory, the glory of the only Son coming from the Father: fullness of truth and loving-kindness (Jn 1-14). The Word became man, so that the men could understand God´s language. The body of Christ is the tent of the meeting of man with God (Ex 40, 34-35), the place of his presence among us. In this way God´s will is accomplished, since he said: Pitch your tent in Jacob (Sir 24,8), Christ offers what the law required, but it could not deliver: the true knowledge of God: For God had given us the Law through Moses, but Truth and Loving-kindness came through Jesus Christ (Jn 1,17). And also: From his fullness we have all received, favour upon favour (1,16). We have no idea about God: the only Son made him known: the one who is in and with the Father (1,18). Christ is in the Father. He came back to his deepest origin: I came from the Father and I have come into the world, so I am leaving the world and going to the Father (16,28).
14.- The evangel steps forward by the testimony, not by speculation. Due to John the Baptist testimony, two of his disciples become Jesus disciples: Jesus turned and saw someone following him; he told them: What are you looking for?. They answered: Rabbi (which means Master), where are you staying’. Jesus answered: Come and see. So they went and saw where hi stayed and spent the rest of that day with him. It was about for o´clock in the afternoon (Jn 1, 38-39). One of them was Andrew, Simon Peter´s brother. Andrew said to Simon: We have found the Messiah, (which means the Christ) (1,41). We say the same thing: We have found what we were looking for.
15.- Jesus signals put out that the world, which God projected, is in action. The creation is not finished: My Father goes on working and so do I (Jn 5,17). The signals that manifest the irruption of a new world are these: the transformation of the water into wine (2,1-12), the cure of the royal functionary son (4,46-54), the cure of the paralytic (5, 1-18), the multiplication of the loaves (6,1-15), the walk over the sea (6,16-21), the healing of the man born blind (9,1-41), Lazarus resurrection (11,1-54). Finally, one signal more is added: the fishing of 153 fishes (21,1-8). Other meaningful actions: The temple purification (2, 13-22), the unction in Bethany (12,1-11), the feet washing (13,1-20).
16.- The objective of the dialogues is to explain the meaning of what had happened or of what had been announced. They explain what is Jesus meaning: the water of life (Jn 4,10-14; 7,37-39), the bread of life (6,34), the light of the world (8,12; 9,5), the gate (10, 7.9), the good shepherd (10,11), the resurrection (11,25), the way, the truth and the life (14,6), the true vineyard (15,1). Some misunderstanding is frequently confronted in the dialogue.
17.- The top moment is the Pasch, what Jesus calls his hour to pass from this world to the Father (Jn13, 1). That means suffering, loneliness and abandonment for him, but it is also the moment of the glory. Life comes out from death. The parable of the grain of wheat that falls in the earth (12,24) and that of the woman in childbirth (16,21) manifests how Jesus lives his own death: it produces much fruit, it is like a birth: sadness becomes merriness. With his eagle´s insight, Saint John already perceives, in the accomplishment of the Word, the glory of the cross (19,24.28.36-37; see Ps 22,19.16; 34,21).
18.- Saint John´s evangel presents Jesus activity in the frame of six days, of six feasts: “The Passover of the Jews was at hand” (John 2,13), “there was a feast of the Jews” (5,1), “the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand” (6,4), “the Jewish feast of the Tents was at hand” (7,2), “the time came for the feast of the Dedication” (10,22), “the Passover of the Jews was at hand” (11,35). Both the first (1,19; 1,29; 1,35; 1,43; 2,1), and the last Passover (11,55; 12,1), are preceded by six days of expectation: in Jesus mission a new world is being born (he is in genesis!).
19.- The end is added like a postscript (Jn 21). The experience of the disciples had been hard and, besides, disturbing. They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don´t know where they have laid him (20,2). They not only crucified him, but they also pretend to hide any vestige of it. But there are tracks that nobody can hide: the Lord shows up to Mary Magdalena (20,11-18), to the disciples (20,19-23), to Thomas (20,24-29). Jesus also shows up to seven disciples, who had spent the night fishing nothing at all and that, obeying his word, they get 153 big fishes.
20.- In a precise moment they recognize him: It is the Lord! (Jn21,7), Up to here must arrive (and arrives), the Christian experience of faith, to recognize Jesus like the Lord of history (same than God!): Let Israel then know for sure that God has made Lord and Christ this Jesus whom you crucified (Acts 2,36). Only from here, from this paschal perspective, we can understand (and adore) what has been from the beginning and what we have heard and have seen with our own eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands.
21.- In Saint John´s evangel frequently appear words like see, hear, touch. They are words with a big burden of experience. This is also applied to the experience of Resurrected Christ, that – being a transcendent event- nevertheless has some palpability (see 20,21-18). It is the glory of the resurrection. Jesus said that in the last supper: A little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me because I live and you will also live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father and you in me, and I in you (14,19-20). It really is a mystery in the innermost part of our own life, of a life that transcends the life and that is the very life of God.
22.- It is the Christian experience of faith. In this manner, to have faith is not already to believe what we did not see, but to see what seems incredible. What the prophets announced, what Paul said: I am about to do something in your days, which you will never believe even if you had been told (Acts 13,41). The salvation is already a fact from the moment in which Christ, when lifted from the earth, attracts everybody towards him. Eternal life, to which the dead resurrect, is already a possession of those alive that believe in him. This is the accomplishment, the day that fills Abraham of joy, from which Moses wrote, from which the Scriptures give testimony. Like the Lord says: The hour is coming and has indeed come (Jn 5,25)
* FOR THE GROUP MEETING: 1) Dialogue. 2) Present experiences