From Nets To Mysteries: Saint John And The Sacred Heart

We follow Saint John from the shore of Galilee to the upper room, from Calvary to Patmos, to learn how the Sacred Heart shapes discipleship, prayer, and mission. Scripture, the Catechism, the Fathers, and sacred art guide us into Eucharistic intimacy and merciful witness.

• John’s call as a model of total discipleship
• The Last Supper and resting on Christ’s heart
• Calvary, blood and water, and the sacraments
• Johannine theology of love and the Incarnation
• First epistle on concrete charity and mercy
• Patmos, hope, and divine mercy for the faithful
• Early Church Fathers’ testimony about John
• Icons and art as visual catechesis
• Modern discipleship lessons of receptivity, fidelity, humility, mission

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• Saint John the Evangelist Collection

Open by Steve Bailey

Chapters

• 0:22 Welcome And Episode Focus
• 1:09 John As Model Of Total Discipleship
• 2:47 The Call At The Sea Of Galilee
• 6:52 Invitation To Resources And Pilgrimage
• 6:52 The Last Supper And Eucharistic Intimacy
• 9:12 Calvary And The Pierced Heart
• 11:46 Blood And Water As Sacramental Signs
• 14:24 Johannine Theology Of Love
• 17:39 First Epistle: Love Made Concrete
• 20:43 Patmos And Divine Mercy
• 23:58 John And The Early Church Fathers
• 26:58 Icons, Art, And Sacred Memory
• 29:40 Lessons For Modern Discipleship
• 32:37 Conclusion And Closing Invitations

Transcript

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Hello family, welcome to Journeys of Faith Super Saints Podcast at Brother Joseph Ryaldenhoven here at your service. Be sure to look at the description for special information of interest to you and from fisherman to theologian Saint John the Evangelist. In the living memory of the church woven into the tapestry of sacred tradition and scripture, we discover figures who speak intimately to our search for Christ's heart. Among these Saint John the Evangelist stands out, not merely as a humble Galilean fisherman, but as a beloved disciple whose witness peels back the veil, revealing the sacred heart of Jesus in all its divine vulnerability and life-giving power. At Journeys of Faith we recognize in Saint John a model of that total discipleship to which every Catholic is called, from the first hesitant call on the Sea of Galilee to standing steadfast beneath the cross, John's life invites us to move from knowledge about Jesus to union with his heart. Saint John's gospel and epistles resound with the echoes of heavenly mysteries, his testimony entrusted to the church to ignite ardor in the hearts of the faithful. How remarkable it is as the catechism teaches that God reveals himself most perfectly through his son, CCC sixty five two thousand seven hundred seventeen, yet chooses humble witnesses to communicate this love to the world. Time and again, through Eucharistic miracles, Marian apparitions, and the heritage of the saints, we see this love continue to touch generations. For those on pilgrimage, both physical and spiritual, Saint John anchors us to the heart that beats at the center of salvation history, and join us armchair pilgrims and seekers of holiness as we journey with Saint John. Let us rediscover how the evangelist points always and everywhere to the sacred heart of Jesus, a heart still offered for the world, so together, one heart, one mind, one spirit with one vision, we may answer the call to deep conversion and everlasting communion with the God who loves us. Heaven, our true goal, beckons. Called from the nets, John's first encounter with Christ. Picture the Sea of Galilee at dawn, its silver surface reflecting a sky on the edge of revelation. Saint John the Evangelist, the youngest son of Zebede, is there, shoulders weary, hands callous by the day's labor, yet heart restless for something more. It is here amid the sturdy certainties of nets and boats that Jesus passes by and utters a command that echoes through centuries, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4 19. The gospel show us a moment, a holy invitation when John with his brother James leaves behind not only his nets but also the old rhythms of life, entrusting everything to the unknown yet all knowing Christ. At once they left their nets and followed him, Mark 118. It is a total surrender, the kind of response that the catechism, CCC five hundred and forty-six, describes as the essence of discipleship, to welcome the word with a heart ready to be transformed. John's first encounter is more than a physical meeting, it is a lightning strike of grace. Like Abraham stepping into the unknown or Peter casting his net on the master's word, John reveals the posture of every true disciple, docility, obedience, and generous courage. Saint Bede writes, they left their nets, that is the old life and all that was theirs, and followed him with undivided hearts. Saint John's prompt yes is a testimony to the power of Christ's call and the willingness it summons in those who are attentive. This first step, simple yet radical, makes John a model for all who desire holiness. What began on the shore, humbly, almost quietly, would prepare him for the intimate mysteries, reclining on Christ's heart at the Last Supper, standing at the foot of the cross and witnessing the resurrection. Let anyone who feels unworthy or too ordinary gaze at the rough nets left behind and be reminded Christ calls, not the already perfect, but the receptive. Those who listen and leave all for love are promised to share in miracles yet unseen. Do not be afraid. Henceforth you will be catching men. Luke 5 10. And so John's journey of faith begins, just as ours can. Whenever we dare to leave the safe shoreline and trust the Master's voice, take the next step on your journey of faith. Saint John the Evangelist calls us to deeper intimacy with the sacred heart of Jesus, a love that transforms, sanctifies, and sends us forth. At Journeys of Faith, our mission is to help you answer that call. If you're longing to draw closer to Jesus through Scripture, the teachings of the Church, and the witness of the saints, let us walk with you every day. Here's how you can respond today. Explore powerful devotional resources. Visit our large online Catholic gift shop to find handpicked books, prayer cards, rosaries, and art dedicated to Saint John the Sacred Heart and countless beloved saints. Join our virtual pilgrimages, experience Eucharistic miracles, Marian apparitions, and holy shrines with our inspiring video series, perfect for parish groups, families, or personal retreats. Grow in your faith daily, sign up for our newsletter to receive encouragement, scripture reflections, and exclusive content rooted in magisterial teaching and Eucharistic devotion. Evangelize with us. Share our trusted materials with your parish or prayer group, or introduce others to the power of armchair pilgrimages and authentic Catholic gifts. Let us journey together, one heart, one mind, one spirit, with one vision, until we reach our final home in heaven, visit journeys of faith, and step boldly into the next chapter of your spiritual life. The beloved disciple at the Last Supper. The mystery of the sacred heart of Jesus radiates brilliantly in that upper room where the eternal high priest instituted the Eucharist. Among the apostles reclined at the table, it is Saint John the Evangelist, the beloved disciple, who draws closer than any other. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus, John 13, 23, RSVCE. This intimate gesture handed down by Sacred Scripture signifies not only a closeness of friendship, but a profound receptivity to the beating heart of Christ and by extension to his divine love. In that moment, while darkness gathered in Jerusalem, John's proximity was not accidental. The catechism attests the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life, CCC 1324, and here stands its very first human witness. Saint John drank deeply from this fountain, attuned to every word spoken by the Savior, as he offered his body and blood for the life of the world. The saints have often commented on this privileged moment. Saint Peter Julian Amard, apostle of the Eucharist, reflected that John rested his head on the heart of Jesus to gather its secrets. In this sacred exchange, John received a revelation available to every believer, the burning, inexhaustible charity that flows from Christ's heart in the Eucharist, accessible at every mass and every moment of adoration. Here at the Genesis of the New Covenant, the church receives her first lessons on love, reverence, and holy intimacy with God. John's example is an invitation. To become a true follower of the Lord is to rest spiritually upon his heart, seeking wisdom, consolation, and the divine fire of charity for our own conversion and the salvation of all souls. As the beloved disciple leaned upon Christ in trust and humility, so too must we, for our goal is heaven, and the heart of Jesus is our surest refuge, witness to the pierced heart on Calvary. Saint John the Evangelist stands as a silent sentinel at the foot of the cross, a luminous witness blazing in the darkest hour. When others fled in fear, John remained, drawing courage from the love he had encountered in the heart of Christ. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister Mary of Cleophus and Mary Magdalene, when Jesus therefore saw his mother and the disciple standing by whom he loved. The Church, guided by the infallible magisterium, teaches us to meditate on this unfathomable moment. The beloved disciple, representing all of us, receiving from Christ's dying lips the most precious gifts, his mother and his heart. John alone records the soldier's spear, the lance piercing the sacred heart of Jesus, John 1934. From that wound immediately there came out blood and water. For centuries holy men and women have knelt in adoration before this scene, recognizing in it the wellspring of all sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and baptism.

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John Chrysostom proclaims, not without purpose or by chance did these fountains spring forth from his side, but that we might be cleansed and nourished for eternal life. The catechism of the Catholic Church declares the Church was born from the pure side of Christ. For this reason the blood and water are symbols of the Church's sacraments flowing from the sacred heart. CCC seven sixty six. Saint John's steadfast presence means more than witness. It is participation. He looks and believes. He becomes a vessel to proclaim that the way to heaven is wide open through the love of the sacred heart. In moments of suffering, when the path seems lonely and the world grows cold, Saint John invites us to Calvary to behold your mother, and to behold through the blood and water the inexhaustible mercy of Christ. He is the patron of all who have stood by the cross, priests, teachers, catechists, and every soul seeking holiness. He calls us to trust, to enter into the side of Christ like Saint Thomas did, to find healing, and to become true children of the heart that was pierced for love of us. God is love, he assures us, first John 4 8, and nowhere is love more manifest than in the heart opened at Calvary. Water and blood Eucharistic symbols in John 1934. Sacred Scripture reveals profound mysteries in the most humble of moments. In John 1934, but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. The beloved disciple outlines a scene of unfathomable theological significance. Saint John the Evangelist, the one who rested his head upon the chest of Jesus at the Last Supper, uniquely records this piercing of Christ's side, giving us not only eyewitness testimony, but a preview of the Church's most treasured realities, the sacraments of the Eucharist and baptism. For Catholics steeped in the treasury of the Church, these details are not incidental, they are providential signs that call our hearts to deeper reverence and awe. The catechism of the Catholic Church affirms this teaching. The Church has always seen in John's blood and water not only a symbol of baptism and the Eucharist, but also the beginning of the Church herself. CCC 1225. The saints, too, from Saint Thomas Aquinas to Saint John Chrysot uh Saint John Chrysostom meditate on this outpouring. Jesus, even in death, pours forth the divine streams that enliven the church and give birth to our souls in grace. Consider this precious flow from the sacred heart fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah. They shall look on him whom they have pierced, Zechariah 12 10, and places before our eyes a visible reminder that Christ's love is not held back, but spends itself completely for the salvation of souls. Saint John's testimony is an invitation to trust. In the Eucharistic feast we truly receive the blood that flowed from Calvary, and in baptism we are bathed in the cleansing water that springs from his heart. How can we not feel the call to conversion and consolation in this moment? We are summoned to the foot of the cross, joining saints and mystics, Saint Faustina, Saint Margaret Mary Alakok, who drew untold strength from contemplating the wounds of Christ and his sacred heart, in the steady gaze of the church, the blood and water are living signs, the font in which we are made new, and the cup that fortifies us for our journey home to heaven. The Gospel of Love unpacking Johannine theologies Saint John the Evangelist, the disciple whom Jesus loved, John 13 23, stands as a living testament to the power of divine intimacy. Through his gospel he reveals not only the sacred humanity of Christ, but the unfathomable depths of his most sacred heart. John's theology begins and ends with love. Every page pulses with an invitation to enter into the fullness of God's charity. As we open the gospel according to Saint John, we are drawn immediately into the mystery of the incarnation. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 1 1 14. Here Holy Mother Church sets before us the foundation of our faith, as proclaimed so beautifully in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section four hundred and sixty. For the Son of God became man so that we might become God. The incarnation, as John presents it, is not a distant theological truth, but a lived encounter with Jesus who draws us through love into God's own family. Time and again Saint John's gospel reveals the radical nature of Christ's love. Nowhere is this more evident than in John thirteen thirty four. A new commandment I give to you that you love one another even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. This is no mere sentiment, it is a call to holiness. Jesus offers his very heart as the pattern and source of this love, a heart pierced for our sins, a heart ardently longing to gather every soul. Saints and mystics throughout the ages, like Saint Gertrude the Great and Saint Margaret Mary Alacoke, to whom Jesus revealed his sacred heart, have echoed John's teaching. To know Christ is to rest upon his heart, as John did at the Last Supper, see if John thirteen twenty five. The catechism reminds us, Section four hundred and seventy eight, Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his passion, and gave himself up for each one of us. John alone stood at the foot of the cross with the Blessed Mother, drinking from the chalice of suffering and love, each miracle in John's gospel, especially the glorious moment when water became wine at Cana, John II, and supremely when blood and water flowed from Christ's side, John 1934, unveils the abundance of mercy flowing from the heart of Jesus. In these signs we recognize our Eucharistic Lord inviting us to trust boldly in his superabundant love and to let ourselves be transformed. To journey with Saint John is to contemplate utterly self-giving love. His gospel beckons us to conversion, to surrender, to trust, to the pursuit of holiness that leads unfailingly to heaven. For John shows us that God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. Echoes of the sacred heart in the first epistle of John. As we journey deeper into the life and witness of Saint John the Evangelist, we find the radiant warmth of the sacred heart of Jesus reflected most tenderly in his first epistle. Saint John, once a humble fisherman, now theologian and beloved disciple, writes with an ardor that can only come from resting upon the very heart of Christ. See after John 13 23. His words resonate through the ages as both testimony and urgent invitation. Beloved, let us love one another because love is of God. Everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Here John echoes the very heartbeat of the gospel, love that is not sentimental but sacrificial, incarnate, and divine. The catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC two hundred twenty-one, teaches God's very being is love. Saint John's pen, guided by the Holy Spirit, urges us to encounter this love not as passive spectators, but as active participants called to radiate divine charity in a world aching for hope. This radical love is rooted in the heart pierced on Calvary, a heart John witnessed broken for our salvation, John 19, 34 to 35. It is no wonder the church invokes John as a model disciple for intimacy with Christ's sacred heart. The same fire of love that animated his gospel burns within his epistle, driving us to a conversion that affects every facet of our lives. Saint John does not shy from challenge. If anyone says I love God but hates his brother, he is a liar. This is a summons to holiness, a call to mirror the mercy we receive from the heart of Jesus. The saints from Augustine to Margaret Mary Alak recognize that whatever grace and mercy flowed through the church must first be poured out into our hearts. CCC 2842. John's message is profoundly Eucharistic. Just as we receive Christ's heart in holy communion, we are to become living vessels of his love and forgiveness. O dear reader, let us tremble with awe at these demands, but be comforted in John's assurance we love because he first loved us. In contemplating Saint John's testimony, we hear the sacred heart's invitation to abide in the love that is stronger than death and to invite others. To taste and see the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 34, verse 8. May our lives echo with the ardent charity that marked the fisherman turned uh theologian who spent his years urging all souls to walk just as he walked, first John 2 6, on the narrow way to heaven. Patmos and the revelation of divine mercy. It was on the craggy, sun-bleached island of Patmos that Saint John the Evangelist received the visions that would become the book of Revelation, a text saturated not merely with prophecies, but with the beating heart of Christ's divine mercy. Exiled for his testimony to Jesus Christ, John was not defeated or silenced. Instead he was privileged to hear behind him a loud voice like a trumpet, Revelation 110, an unmistakable summons echoing across the centuries. The Lord himself met his beloved disciple in solitude, illuminating for him and for us the dazzling hope promised to all who remain faithful. Here the sacred heart of Jesus is revealed not only as a symbol of burning love, but as a fount of inexhaustible mercy toward his people. In the catechism we are told that the gospel is the revelation in Jesus Christ of God's mercy to sinners. CCC one thousand eight hundred forty six. Saint John's apocalyptic visions do not merely thunder warnings to a fallen world, they ring out with the urgent invitation to conversion and trust, beckoning us to run to the open arms of the lamb who was slain. It is impossible not to be struck by the Lord's repeated assurances to the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on the stone which no one knows except him who receives it. Revelation two seventeen Here is tenderness for each soul a promise of intimacy and transformation offered by the one whose mercies are new every morning. Lamentations three hundred twenty three. John the apostle who rested on Christ's heart at the Last Supper now teaches from exile that every trial, every great tribulation can lead to union with the heart of Jesus, who wipes away every tear, Revelation twenty one four. Throughout the ages the church has meditated on Patmos as both a place of suffering and a sanctuary of vision. Miracles, conversions, and silent acts of martyrdom are all united in the same hope. Saint John proclaims that she ki chi de aid kit. This e got got God's mercy is the final word, outlasting every darkness. Saints like Faustina Kowalska, who spread devotion to divine mercy, stand on the shoulders of the beloved disciple, reminding us that Christ's heart, pierced yet triumphant, remains open for all who thirst. Now just as then we are called to listen and to respond. Let anyone who hears say, Come, Revelation 22, 17. In exile, in isolation or in pilgrimage, Patmos is where the divine mercy breaks through, revealing the ultimate goal of every heart, communion with Jesus, our Savior and our friend, for whom heaven is prepared. Saint John the Evangelist collection tradition and testimony, Saint John and the early church fathers in the golden dawn of the church when when saints walked the earth and martyrdom was the price of faith, the figure of Saint John the Evangelist stood as a blazing torch for all disciples. The early church fathers, those pillars of doctrine and witnesses to the apostolic age, look to the beloved disciple not only as an eyewitness of Christ, but as the one who leaned upon the sacred heart at the Last Supper, John 13, 23. Saint John in the writings glows as both mystic and theologian, a living bridge between the incarnate word and the apostolic tradition handed down to the church. Saint Irenaeus, disciple of Polycarp, who himself was taught by John, attesting against heresies that what John heard from Jesus' own lips blossom into the gospel that conquers error with truth. He revered John as as a priestly witness of Christ's heart, echoing the catechism's teaching that in John the Church finds the disciple who truly knew Christ and could testify to his divinity and humanity. KFBCCC four six four-four six five. Origen, that tireless seeker of spiritual wisdom, wrote that none else revealed the mysteries of Christ's divinity as John who soared like an eagle into the heights of the Godhead. Tertulian, defender of the faith in North Africa, testified that Saint John's proximity to Jesus gave him authority to speak not just as a chronicler, but as a guardian of Christian doctrine and unity. For Tertulian, the apostle's living memory of Christ was a remedy against heresy and a guarantee of doctrinal purity, the very heart of the church's fidelity to the Lord's teachings. Through the Fathers, the testimony of John burns bright, a divinely trusted confidant overflowing with the love that poured forth from the heart pierced on Calvary, John nineteen thirty five, saints such as Augustine marvel that while the synoptic showed us the Lord's actions, John unveils the depths of his sacred heart, the hidden places of divinity, as the doctor of grace proclaims, tractates on the Gospel of John. In the communion of saints, these voices beckon every generation to return to the Gospel of John, to drink anew from the well spring of truth and tenderness that radiated from his witness, his living memory preserved in countless miracles, and conversion stands as a call to holiness and to that ultimate pilgrimage, union with Jesus in the glory of heaven. Icons and art depicting John in the heart of Jesus in the radiant tapestry of Catholic tradition, sacred icons and religious art have long woven the story of Saint John the Evangelist into the very heart of the church's visual memory. From the earliest days, inspired artists have reached for brush and chisel to render the deep mysteries that Saint John so powerfully witnessed, especially the love of the sacred heart revealed at the Last Supper and on Calvary. Scripture draws us to that mystical moment in the upper room where the disciple whom Jesus loved reclined upon the bosom of the Savior, John 13, 23. Tradition has cherished this image, and so have generations of artists who sided who depict Saint John resting with serene trust, eyes lifted to Christ, the arm of friendship draped across the Lord's shoulder. His posture, gentle yet bold, invites us into the intimate union with Jesus to which we are all called. In the rich treasury of sacred art, Saint John often stands at the foot of the cross, a silent sentinel of steadfast devotion, his gaze fixed on the pierced side of Jesus. The catechism echoes this moment. The church was born from the pierced heart of Christ hanging dead on the cross, CCC 766. Iconographers following this revelation frequently portray John transfixed by the wound in Christ's side, streams of blood and water flowing forth, signs of the sacraments, the outpouring of divine love, eastern icons and western masterpieces alike frequently present Saint John with a book or a quill pointing to the inspired gospel that unveils the unfathomable depths of Christ's heart. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God. These holy images are not mere ornament. The saints teach us that art transmits grace. Saint John Damasine defends the veneration of icons, urging that through them we move the heart to divine longing. For centuries the faithful have found in the images of John at Christ's side an invitation to deeper adoration of the sacred heart, a call to trust, to surrender, to holy intimacy. In gazing upon such art, our hearts are drawn upward, echoing the mystic love between the beloved disciple and the heart of Jesus, the source and summit of all Christian life. Lessons for modern discipleship from the beloved apostle and Saint John the Evangelist, the beloved disciple, John 13, 23, offers a radiant model for every Catholic striving to follow Christ in the modern world. More than an eyewitness of Christ's glory and agony, Saint John stands as a spiritual bridge, inviting us into deeper intimacy with the sacred heart of Jesus. Reflect first on John's profound receptivity. At the Last Supper he rests his head upon the Savior's breast, John 13, 25, symbolizing the disciples' calling to meditate upon the very heartbeat of God. This vision is echoed in the catechism to receive in faith the gift of his Eucharist is to receive the Lord Himself, CCC 1324. John teaches us that true discipleship begins in loving contemplation, not mere activity, and urges us to be docile to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, John models unwavering fidelity amid suffering. While all but one of the apostles fled in fear, John remained at Calvary steadfast beside the Blessed Mother, John nineteen twenty six to twenty seven. In today's world, saturated with distraction and compromise, his example invites us to stand firm with Christ, even when it means enduring misunderstanding or persecution. The saints remind us he who perseveres to the end will be saved, Matthew 24 13. John's humility is yet another lesson, poignantly seen when he simply calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved. He disappears behind Christ, his confidence anchored not in his achievements, but in God's mercy. Modern disciples must learn to embrace their identity as beloved sons and daughters of the Father, animated by holy communion and open to radical, joyful conversion. Finally, John reveals the missionary nature of devotion. Having received Jesus' love so intimately, he becomes a herald of truth and life. That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us. Vermo Authentic discipleship cannot remain silent. Like Saint John, we are called to announce the wonders of the sacred heart, trusting the Spirit to bear fruits of holiness in those who hear. May we, drawn by Saint John's witness, dare to live as true disciples, adorers of the Eucharistic Lord, loyal to Mary, and eager to proclaim all that Christ has revealed. Our goal is heaven, and our journey is one of the heart. Conclusion The beloved disciple leads us home. Saint John the Evangelist stands as a radiant example of what it means to be called, converted, and transformed by the sacred heart of Jesus. From the shores of Galilee to the foot of the cross, John's journey is our journey, a testament that the Lord takes ordinary hearts and makes them extraordinary through love and mercy. As Saint John rested his head upon the chest of Christ at the Last Supper, he invites us to draw near to the sacred heart, to listen to its rhythmic outpouring of grace and to be changed forever. In the embrace of Holy Mother Church, as taught by the magisterium and witnessed in the lives of the saints, we discover through John the face of divine mercy and the hope of eternal life. By following his path of trust, reverence for the Eucharist and filial devotion to Mary, we encounter our truest destiny, union with the living God. At Journeys of Faith, our mercy our mission echoes Saint John's gospel call to know the heart of Jesus, to love him and to make him loved. Let us journey together, one heart, one mind, one spirit with one vision, confident that with St. John's intercession, our pilgrimage will lead us home to heaven. Be sure to click the link in the description for special news item. And since there is more to this article, finish reading and check out the special offer. Visit Journeysoffaith.com website today.