Daily Readings - Thu Jan 09 2020

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

In today's readings, we explore the essence of love and mission. The first reading from 1 John reminds us that true love for God is inseparable from love for our neighbors. John emphasizes that loving God without loving others is hypocritical, urging us to keep God's commandments as an expression of our love. This love, rooted in faith, empowers us to overcome the world's challenges. The Gospel from Luke depicts Jesus' mission statement, where He proclaims His role as the Messiah, bringing hope and liberation to the marginalized. This moment in the synagogue at Nazareth is pivotal, as Jesus aligns His mission with Isaiah's prophecy, highlighting His commitment to the poor, the brokenhearted, and the oppressed. The crowd's mixed reaction invites us to reflect on how we respond to God's call in our lives. Together, these readings connect love and mission, showing that loving God leads to serving others. Our faith is not passive but active, demonstrated through acts of love and justice. In daily life, this means putting our faith into action, whether through kindness, charity, or advocating for justice. The moral lesson is clear: true love for God is evident in our actions towards others, fulfilling His mission in the world.