Daily Readings - Mon Jan 06 2020
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound connection between faith, love, and the presence of God in our lives. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that keeping God’s commandments—believing in Jesus Christ and loving one another—is the essence of our relationship with God. John emphasizes that God’s Spirit dwells within us, guiding us to discern truth from falsehood. He warns us to test the spirits, for not every voice is of God. This passage calls us to live in the light of God’s truth and to trust in the greater power of God within us, which enables us to overcome the forces of darkness.
In the Gospel, Matthew describes the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. After John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus moves to Galilee, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah that a light would shine in the darkness. Jesus preaches repentance, teaches in the synagogues, and heals the sick, demonstrating the power of God’s kingdom. His ministry attracts people from all walks of life, showing that God’s love and healing are available to all. This passage reminds us that Jesus is the true light who has come into the world to dispel darkness, and we are called to follow Him and share His message of hope and salvation.
Together, these readings teach us that faith is not just a belief but a way of life. Just as Jesus brought light and healing to those in darkness, we are called to live as instruments of God’s love and truth in the world. In our daily lives, we must discern the spirits, rejecting falsehood and clinging to the truth of God’s Word. Let us trust in the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, who empowers us to love one another and to bring light to those around us. May we, like Jesus, be sources of hope and healing, living out the kingdom of God in all that we do.