FEAST OF ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST

Today is the feast of St John the Evangelist, the patron of my church. The Fathers of the Church believed John the Evangelist was the author of the Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, and the same person as John the Apostle and John of Patmos.  Later scholars suggest rather that a disciple of John the Apostle wrote the Gospel and three Epistles and that John of Patmos was a different person, because the writing style of the Book of Revelation is too different from the Gospel and Epistles.

Pictured above is the stained glass window at St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux. The detail in the glass shows a snake coming out of the goblet in John's hand. According to legend, the emperor Domitian offered poisoned wine to John, but he blessed the wine and the poison came out of the goblet in the form of a snake.  A painting by El Greco illustrates the same legend.

Collect of the day

Shed upon your Church, O Lord, the brightness of your light; that we, being illumined by the teaching of your apostle and evangelist John, may so walk in the light of your truth, that at length we may attain to the fullness of eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

GLASTONBURY THORN TREE VANDALIZED

From the Telegraph:

Vandals have destroyed a historic tree whose roots can be linked back to the origins of Christianity nearly 2,000 years ago.

The Holy Thorn tree on Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury, Somerset, is regarded as one of Britain’s most important symbols of Christendom, and is said to be derived from the original planted by Joseph of Arimathea.

The tree is one of several Holy Thorns located around Glastonbury but is arguably the most significant because of its placing on the spot where Joseph visited.
....

Katherine Gorbing, director of Glastonbury Abbey, said: “The vandals have struck at the heart of Christianity. Like the whole town, we are shocked and appalled.

"The tree holds a very special significance all over the world and thousands follow in the footsteps of Joseph of Arimathea, coming especially to see it.

This is the most important tree in Glastonbury and is of exceptional spiritual significance.

Below is a picture of the tree before it was destroyed.



From the website of Glastonbury Abbey:

Arriving at Glastonbury, which was then a series of island hills rising from the flooded Somerset Levels, it is believed that Joseph of Arimathea climbed Wearyall Hill to plant the staff which once belonged to Jesus (which came into his possession at the time of his nephew's death - Joseph being Jesus' last surviving male relative). As the staff was pushed into the fertile soil of Wearyall Hill, it is recorded that it magically took root and sprouted branches and leaves - ecoming Glastonbury's famous Holy Thorn tree.

I love the story, as did many others. How sad that the tree is destroyed.

H/T to Nicholas Knisely at The Lead.

UPDATE: From a suggestion in the comments, I found the Celtic Tree Lore website from which I copied the following quote:

At dawn on Beltane a young woman who wants to remain beautiful for the rest of the year, can go bathe in the dew of the Hawthorn tree while chanting this rhyme:

"The fair maid, who on the first of May,
Goes to the fields at the break of day,
And bathes in the dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever strong and handsome be".

What if the lady is not beautiful at the beginning of the year? Does the dew from the hawthorn tree make her beautiful?