Pascha! Christ is risen!

Pascha! Christ is risen! ☦️

I am reminded again, by the Gospel reading today, that in the Ancient Church, the Gospel of John was not read and preached in the Liturgy until Pascha. The explanation I’ve heard it that it is too mystical and profound for inquirers and catechumens, who first need to know the plain stories of Christ.

In evangelicalism, we handed out separately-printed Gospels of John like candy, as evangelistic tools, but not so with any other Gospel.

I could probably make some argument out of that but I’m disinclined to do so.