Daily Readings - Mon Jan 04 2021
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 that God’s commandments are not burdensome but are rooted in love and belief in Jesus Christ. John urges us to test the spirits, to discern whether they are from God or not, by their confession of Jesus Christ who came in the flesh. This passage calls us to remain steadfast in our faith, trusting that the Spirit of God within us is greater than any false spirit in the world.
The Gospel reading from Matthew illustrates Jesus’ ministry of light and healing in a world shrouded in darkness. After withdrawing to Galilee, Jesus begins to preach repentance 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 mercy extend to all. This passage invites us to reflect on how we, like Jesus, can bring light and hope into the lives of others through our actions and words.
Both readings challenge us to live out our faith authentically. John’s letter reminds us to love one another and remain faithful to God’s commandments, while Matthew’s Gospel shows us how Jesus’ ministry transformed lives through love and compassion. In our daily lives, we are called to be instruments of God’s love, discerning His presence in the world and sharing His light with those around us. Let us trust in the Spirit of truth, who guides us and empowers us to live as children of God, bringing healing and hope to a world in need.