Daily Readings - Sat Jan 05 2019
1 John
11For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.12We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.13Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death.15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.16By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.17But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?18Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.19By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him;20for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;
John
43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."47Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!"48Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."49Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"50Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these."51And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the essence of faith and love. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that love is not merely a feeling but a call to action. John contrasts the wickedness of Cain, who allowed jealousy to lead him to murder, with the righteousness of Abel. This serves as a stark reminder that our actions must reflect our faith, and that true love is demonstrated through selfless acts, not just words. The Gospel reading from John introduces us to Philip and Nathanael, whose encounter with Jesus illustrates the journey from doubt to belief. Nathanael's initial skepticism about Jesus being from Nazareth is transformed into a profound declaration of faith when Jesus reveals his knowledge of Nathanael's heart. This exchange shows that faith often begins with small steps of trust and can grow into something much deeper.
Both readings emphasize the connection between belief and action. In 1 John, we are urged to love not in words but in truth and action. Similarly, in the Gospel, Nathanael's belief in Jesus leads him to follow Him, demonstrating that faith is not static but dynamic. The readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in tangible ways, whether through acts of love and service or through trusting in God's plan even when it seems unclear.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we living out our faith in ways that reflect God's love? Do we allow doubt to hold us back, or do we take steps of trust, like Nathanael, to deepen our relationship with God? The moral lesson here is clear: love and faith are not abstract concepts but lived experiences. Just as Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree, He sees us in our own struggles and invites us to follow Him. May we respond with hearts open to His love, trusting that He will reveal greater things to us as we walk in faith.