[Officium]
Octave Day of St. John the Evangelist

[Lectio2] (rubrica tridentina)
!Rev 4:5-8
5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
6 And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind.
7 And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.
8 And the four living creatures had each of them six wings; and round about and within they are full of eyes. And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.

[Lectio3] (rubrica tridentina)
!Rev 4:8-11
8 And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.
@Tempora/Pasc3-2:Lectio3:2-4

[Lectio4]
The Lesson is taken from a treatise of St. Augustine, Bishop (of Hippo.)
!on John. (36.) 
Of the Four Evangelists, or, rather, the Four Writers of the 'one Evangel, the holy Apostle John hath not unworthily been compared by spiritual writers to an eagle, because of the lofty and glorious flight of his teaching, soaring above the other three; a flight that raiseth not himself alone, but also the hearts of all, whosoever will hear him. The other three writers walk with the Lord upon earth, as with a man, and enlarge little upon His Godhead; but John, as though it had wearied him to walk upon earth, in the very first words of his writing, riseth not above the earth only, or above the firmament, and the heavens, but above every angel, and above every power of things unseen, and flieth directly to Him by Whom all things were made, saying In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[Lectio5]
Then he goeth on worthily of such a beginning, and speaketh of the Lord's Godhead as none hath ever spoken, uttering freely the things which he had heard. It is not without cause that it is told of him in that Gospel how he lay on Jesus' Breast at supper. Truly he drank secretly from that Breast, and what he drank secretly he hath uttered openly, that all men may know not only how the Son of God became man, suffered, and rose again for us, but likewise how He was with the Father before He took flesh, the Onlybegotten Son, the Word of the Father, co-eternal with Him that begat Him, equal to Him That sent Him.

[Lectio6]
John is an eagle that soareth up to the things that are not made, and fixeth his eye unquailing upon the secret and eternal Light. It is said that the father-eagle taketh his young in his talons and flieth with them, that they may look at the sun. Them that look at it boldly, he acknowledgeth for his own offspring, but them whose eyes shrink, he letteth fall from his claws as bastards. Let us consider, then, how mightily he must speak who is likened to an eagle; and yet we who are reptiles crawling on earth, weak, and of small consideration even among men, dare take in hand these utterances, to treat of them, and to explain them, and think that our intelligence understandeth them, or our speech commendeth them.

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to John
!John 21:20-24
In that time Jesus said to Peter: Follow me. Peter turning about, saw that disciple whom Jesus loved following. And so on.
_
Homily by St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch (of Constantinople.)
!87th Homily. on John.
Christ had made known great things to Peter, charged him with the care of the whole world, announced to him his future martyrdom, and given him testimony of His especial love. Peter then would have John for a fellow and helper, and he said, What shall this man do? as it were, Shall not he also follow the same path with me? At the supper, when Peter would ask a question of the Lord, he dared not, but got John for his spokesman; and now Peter asketh that which he thought John fain would know, but dared not ask for himself. Christ saith unto him If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?

[Lectio8]
Peter asked because of his great love for John, hoping not to be parted from him, and Christ answered him, that with whatever affection he loved him, he could not love him as He loved him. If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Let us learn from these words, by the teaching of Christ, neither to chafe, nor to enquire too curiously, where the will of God is concerned. For when Peter would be still asking, the Lord at length checked him in these words for his continued curiosity.

[Lectio9]
When went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? That is, He would not have it thought that He had disposed of them both in the same way. He spoke thus that He might check the untimely motion of affection, and the desire to continue the old companionship. The Apostles were about to take in charge the whole earth, and it behoved them no more to continue together, lest the world should suffer. Therefore the Lord saith to Peter Thou hast received thy task; bend thyself to it, and do it; work and fight; what is it to thee if I will that he tarry here? Turn thou to thine own appointed labour and finish it.
&teDeum