Daily Readings - Mon Dec 27 2021
1 John
1He who was from the beginning, whom we have heard, whom we have seen with our eyes, upon whom we have gazed, and whom our hands have certainly touched: He is the Word of Life2And that Life has been made manifest. And we have seen, and we testify, and we announce to you: the Eternal Life, who was with the Father, and who appeared to us3He whom we have seen and heard, we announce to you, so that you, too, may have fellowship with us, and so that our fellowship may be with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ4And this we write to you, so that you may rejoice, and so that your joy may be full
John
2Therefore, she ran and went to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and she said to them, "They have taken the Lord away from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.3Therefore, Peter departed with the other disciple, and they went to the tomb4Now they both ran together, but the other disciple ran more quickly, ahead of Peter, and so he arrived at the tomb first5And when he bowed down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not yet enter6Then Simon Peter arrived, following him, and he entered the tomb, and he saw the linen cloths lying there7and the separate cloth which had been over his head, not placed with the linen cloths, but in a separate place, wrapped up by itself8Then the other disciple, who had arrived first at the tomb, also entered. And he saw and believed
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of the resurrection and the gift of faith. In the first reading from 1 John, we hear a beautiful testimony to the Word of Life. John writes of the eternal life that has been revealed in Jesus Christ, emphasizing the tangible experience of encountering the risen Lord. He speaks of seeing, hearing, and touching the Word of Life, and he invites us to share in this fellowship with the Father and the Son. This passage reminds us that our faith is rooted in the eyewitness accounts of those who walked with Jesus and witnessed His resurrection.
The Gospel from John 20 brings us to the empty tomb, where the disciples encounter the reality of the resurrection. Mary Magdalene’s distress at finding the tomb empty gives way to the disciples’ curiosity and faith. The beloved disciple, upon seeing the linens and the cloth folded separately, believes. This moment is a powerful reminder that faith often begins with doubt or uncertainty but can lead to profound trust in God’s plan. The empty tomb is not just a historical event but a symbol of the new life offered to us through Christ’s resurrection.
These readings call us to embrace our role as witnesses to the resurrection in our own lives. Just as John testified to the Word of Life and the disciples believed at the empty tomb, we are called to share the joy of the Gospel with others. In a world often filled with doubt and fear, we are invited to be bearers of hope and light. Let us ask ourselves: How do we share the Good News in our daily lives? How do we allow the resurrection to transform our relationships, our struggles, and our joys? May we, like the disciples, find the courage to believe and the grace to proclaim the eternal life that has been revealed to us in Jesus Christ.