Daily Readings - Fri Jan 05 2024
1 John
11For this is the announcement that you heard from the beginning: that you should love one another12Do not be like Cain, who was of the evil one, and who killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked, but his brother’s works were just13If the world hates you, brothers, do not be surprised14We know that we have passed from death to life. For we love as brothers. Whoever does not love, abides in death15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding within him16We know the love of God in this way: because he laid down his life for us. And so, we must lay down our lives for our brothers17Whoever possesses the goods of this world, and sees his brother to be in need, and yet closes his heart to him: in what way does the love of God abide in him18My little sons, let us not love in words only, but in works and in truth19In this way, we will know that we are of the truth, and we will commend our hearts in his sight20For even if our heart reproaches us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows all things21Most beloved, if our heart does not reproach us, we can have confidence toward God
John
43On the next day, he wanted to go into Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me.44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter45Philip found Nathanael, and he said to him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the Law and the Prophets: Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.46And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good be from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see.47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, and he said about him, "Behold, an Israelite in whom truly there is no deceit.48Nathanael said to him, "From where do you know me?" Jesus responded and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.49Nathanael answered him and said: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel.50Jesus responded and said to him: "Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, you believe. Greater things than these, you will see.51And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the Angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of man.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of love, faith, and discipleship. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that love is not merely a feeling or a word, but a way of life. John contrasts the selfishness of Cain, who allowed jealousy to lead him to murder, with the selfless love of God, who laid down his life for us. This love, John tells us, must be expressed in concrete actions, especially in caring for those in need. True love is not about what we say but about what we do, and it is through such love that we demonstrate our unity with God and our passage from death to life.
In the Gospel, we see how this love and faith are lived out in the lives of the disciples. Philip, having been called by Jesus, immediately shares the good news with Nathanael. Nathanael’s initial skepticism—“Can anything good come from Nazareth?”—is common to us all. We often doubt, question, and hesitate. But Philip’s response, “Come and see,” is an invitation to move beyond doubt and to encounter Jesus personally. When Nathanael meets Jesus, he is struck by Jesus’ knowledge of him even before they speak. This encounter leads Nathanael to profess faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the King of Israel. The Gospel reminds us that faith begins with an encounter with Jesus, and it grows as we experience his presence in our lives.
These readings challenge us to examine how we live out our faith and love in our daily lives. Are we like Cain, allowing selfishness and jealousy to rule our hearts, or are we like Nathanael, open to encountering Jesus and following him? John reminds us that love is not just a feeling but a choice to act selflessly for others. Let us ask ourselves: Do we love in words only, or do we love in deeds and in truth? Let us also remember that faith, like Nathanael’s, is a journey that begins with an invitation to “come and see” and deepens as we experience the presence of God in our lives. May we, like Nathanael, have the courage to follow Jesus and to share his love with others.