Daily Readings - Thu Jan 10 2019

¹⁹Therefore, let us love God, for God first loved us.²⁰If anyone says that he loves God, but hates his brother, then he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he does see, in what way can he love God, whom he does not see²¹And this is the commandment that we have from God, that he who loves God must also love his brother

Chapter 5

¹Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. And everyone who loves God, who provides that birth, also loves him who has been born of God²In this way, we know that we love those born of God: when we love God and do his commandments³For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not heavy⁴For all that is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world: our faith

Luke

Chapter 4

¹⁴And Jesus returned, in the power of the Spirit, into Galilee. And his fame spread throughout the entire region¹⁵And he taught in their synagogues, and he was magnified by everyone¹⁶And he went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. And he entered into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the Sabbath day. And he rose up to read¹⁷And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. And as he unrolled the book, he found the place where it was written¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because of this, he has anointed me. He has sent me to evangelize the poor, to heal the contrite of heart¹⁹to preach forgiveness to captives and sight to the blind, to release the broken into forgiveness, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution.²⁰And when he had rolled up the book, he returned it to the minister, and he sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him²¹Then he began to say to them, "On this day, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.²²And everyone gave testimony to him. And they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth. And they said, "Is this not the son of Joseph?

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound connection between love, faith, and our mission as followers of Christ. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that love is not just a feeling but a commitment to live according to God’s commandments. John emphasizes that true love for God cannot exist without love for our neighbor. If we claim to love God, whom we cannot see, we must also love those around us, whom we can see. This love is not optional; it is a fundamental expression of our faith and a sign that we are born of God. John also assures us that living out God’s commandments is not a burden but a source of strength, for “all that is born of God overcomes the world.” In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s promise to bring liberation and hope to all people. Jesus, filled with the Spirit, proclaims His mission to preach to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, and bring freedom to those oppressed. This passage from Isaiah is not just a prophecy; it is a blueprint for how Jesus lived His life and how He calls us to live ours. By identifying Himself as the one anointed by the Spirit, Jesus sets the tone for a ministry rooted in compassion, justice, and mercy. His words in the synagogue at Nazareth are a call to action for us today: to see ourselves as part of this mission and to live in a way that reflects God’s love for the world. These readings challenge us to examine how we are living out our faith in our daily lives. Are we loving God and our neighbors as John encourages? Are we actively working to bring hope and healing to those around us, as Jesus did? Let us remember that our faith is not just about what we believe but about how we act. By keeping God’s commandments and living with compassion, we overcome the challenges of the world and become instruments of God’s love. May we, like Jesus, allow the Spirit to guide us in fulfilling our mission to serve and love others, bringing light and hope to a world in need.