Daily Readings - Tue Jan 08 2019
1 John
7Most beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God. And everyone who loves is born of God and knows God8Whoever does not love, does not know God. For God is love9The love of God was made apparent to us in this way: that God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through him10In this is love: not as if we had loved God, but that he first loved us, and so he sent his Son as a propitiation for our sins
Mark
34And Jesus, going out, saw a great multitude. And he took pity on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things35And when many hours had now passed, his disciples drew near to him, saying: "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late36Send them away, so that by going out to nearby villages and towns, they might buy provisions for themselves to eat.37And responding, he said to them, "Give them something to eat yourselves." And they said to him, "Let us go out and buy bread for two hundred denarii, and then we will give them something to eat.38And he said to them: "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish.39And he instructed them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass40And they sat down in divisions by hundreds and by fifties41And having received the five loaves and the two fish, gazing up to heaven, he blessed and broke the bread, and he gave it to his disciples to set before them. And the two fish he divided among them all42And they all ate and were satisfied43And they brought together the remainder: twelve baskets full of fragments and of fish44Now those who ate were five thousand men
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of love and its practical expression in our lives. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that love is not merely a feeling or an abstract concept but a fundamental aspect of God’s nature. John writes, “God is love,” and emphasizes that true love is not about us loving God first but about recognizing that God has already loved us. This love is made manifest in the gift of His Son, who came to save us from our sins. The reading calls us to live out this love in our relationships with one another, for to know God is to love as He loves.
In the Gospel, Mark presents us with the familiar story of the feeding of the five thousand. Here, we see Jesus’ compassion in action. Moved by the sight of the crowd, who were like “sheep without a shepherd,” Jesus takes initiative to teach them and ultimately to feed them. When the disciples express concern about providing for such a large group, Jesus challenges them to trust in God’s providence. With just five loaves and two fish, He performs a miracle, satisfying the hunger of all and leaving an abundance of leftovers. This passage shows us that love is not just a sentiment but a commitment to meet the needs of others, even when resources seem insufficient.
These readings are deeply connected. The love that John describes in his letter is the same love that Jesus embodies in the Gospel. Both remind us that love requires action—teaching, feeding, and caring for one another. In our daily lives, we are called to imitate this love. Whether it’s reaching out to a neighbor in need, offering a kind word to someone struggling, or trusting in God’s providence when faced with challenges, we are invited to live as children of God, reflecting His love in all we do. Let us ask ourselves: How can I show love today? How can I trust in God’s abundance, even when things seem impossible? May we follow Jesus’ example, allowing His love to flow through us and transform the world around us.