Daily Readings - Sat Dec 29 2018

³And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.⁴Whoever says "I know him" but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,⁵but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:⁶whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.⁷Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard.⁸At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.⁹Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.¹⁰Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.¹¹But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Luke

Chapter 2

²²And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord")²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,²⁸he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,²⁹"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word;³⁰for my eyes have seen your salvation³¹that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."³³And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed³⁵(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of light, love, and the revelation of God’s plan. The first reading from 1 John emphasizes the importance of living out our faith through actions, particularly through love. John writes that we know God by keeping His commandments and that love is the essence of walking in the light. This passage challenges us to move beyond mere words and to embody our faith in our daily interactions, especially in how we treat others. The Gospel from Luke presents the scene of Jesus’ presentation in the temple, where Simeon, a righteous and Spirit-filled man, recognizes the infant Jesus as the light of revelation to the Gentiles. Simeon’s prophecy highlights both the joy of salvation and the future suffering that Jesus will endure. This moment in the temple is a fulfillment of prophecy and a revelation of God’s plan to bring light to all nations. It reminds us that Jesus is both the source of light and a sign of contradiction, calling us to reflect on how we receive this light in our own lives. As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to consider how we live as children of light. Just as Simeon trusted in God’s plan and recognized the light of salvation, we too are called to trust in God’s plan and to live in a way that reflects the light of Christ. This means loving one another, keeping God’s commandments, and being willing to embrace the challenges that come with being a sign of contradiction in a world often shrouded in darkness. May we, like Simeon, embrace the light of Christ and allow it to shine through us, revealing the thoughts of our hearts and guiding us on the path of truth and love.