Reflection on the commemoration of Saint John the Theologian

On many icons of Saint John the Theologian, the saint sits with his Gospel open but a hand clasped over his mouth, guarding his silence. This image reminds us that, even though Saint John declares many profound theological truths, the words of this “son of thunder” (Mk. 3:17) may merely seem like a thundery noise to us (Jn. 12:29) unless we ponder them in the silence of our hearts. The truths of the “theological Gospel” of Saint John are not meant for the vulgar crowds, but for the initiates of the mysteries, which is why this Gospel is read during the Fifty Days, when the newly-illumined have been initiated into the Church. This image also reminds us that the greatest positive knowledge, even in the realm of theology, is surpassed by the silent unknowing of the heart’s adoration and wordless union with God.