Daily Readings - Mon Jan 07 2019
1 John
22and whatever we shall request of him, we shall receive from him. For we keep his commandments, and we do the things that are pleasing in his sight23And this is his commandment: that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us24And those who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And we know that he abides in us by this: by the Spirit, whom he has given to us
1Most beloved, do not be willing to believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are of God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world2The Spirit of God may be known in this way. Every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ has arrived in the flesh is of God3and every spirit who contradicts Jesus is not of God. And this one is the Antichrist, the one that you have heard is coming, and even now he is in the world4Little sons, you are of God, and so you have overcome him. For he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world5They are of the world. Therefore, they speak about the world, and the world listens to them6We are of God. Whoever knows God, listens to us. Whoever is not of God, does not listen to us. In this way, we know the Spirit of truth from the spirit of error
Matthew
12And when Jesus had heard that John had been handed over, he withdrew into Galilee13And leaving behind the city of Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, near the sea, at the borders of Zebulun and of Naphtali14in order to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah15"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles16A people who were sitting in darkness have seen a great light. And unto those sitting in the region of the shadow of death, a light has risen.17From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say: "Repent. For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.23And Jesus traveled throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every infirmity among the people24And reports of him went out to all of Syria, and they brought to him all those who had maladies, those who were in the grasp of various sicknesses and torments, and those who were in the hold of demons, and the mentally ill, and paralytics. And he cured them25And a great crowd followed him from Galilee, and from the Ten Cities, and from Jerusalem, and from Judea, and from across the Jordan
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound connection between faith, love, and the presence of God in our lives. The first reading from 1 John emphasizes the importance of keeping God’s commandments, particularly the commandment to love one another. John writes that those who abide in God are recognizable by the Spirit he has given them, and he warns us to discern the spirits, for not every spirit is of God. This passage calls us to live in truth and to trust in the greater power of God within us, for “he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
The Gospel reading from Matthew illustrates Jesus’ ministry as a fulfillment of prophecy and a manifestation of God’s light in a world shrouded in darkness. After withdrawing to Galilee, Jesus begins to preach, teach, and heal, drawing people from all regions to himself. His actions demonstrate the kingdom of heaven drawing near, and his ministry is a testament to the power of God’s love and light overcoming the shadows of sin and suffering. This passage invites us to reflect on how we, like Jesus, can bring light and hope into the lives of others through our words and actions.
These readings together remind us that our faith is not merely an inward belief but a lived expression of God’s love. Just as Jesus went out to preach, teach, and heal, we too are called to go out into the world, guided by the Spirit of truth. In our daily lives, let us strive to keep God’s commandments, to love one another, and to discern the movements of the Spirit. May we trust in the greater power of God within us, and may we allow his light to shine through us, bringing hope and healing to a world in need.