Daily Readings - Wed Jan 09 2019
1 John
11Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.14And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.15Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.16So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.17By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
Mark
45Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd.46And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.47And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.48And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,49but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out,50for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."51And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,52for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound connection between love, faith, and trust in God. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that God’s love is not abstract but deeply personal and transformative. John writes, “God is love,” and this love is not merely a feeling but a divine reality that dwells within us when we choose to love one another. The Apostle emphasizes that God’s love is perfected in us as we abide in Him, and this love casts out fear, for fear has to do with punishment, but perfect love is the assurance of His presence and care.
In the Gospel, Mark recounts the story of Jesus walking on the water to meet His disciples, who were struggling against the wind and waves. This passage is often seen as a metaphor for the challenges we face in life. Just as the disciples were tossed about by the storm, we too can feel overwhelmed by the trials and uncertainties of our world. Yet, Jesus comes to them, and His words, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid,” speak directly to our hearts. This moment reveals Jesus’ divine power and His deep concern for those He loves. It also highlights the disciples’ lack of understanding, as they had not yet grasped the full meaning of the bread—a reference to the multiplication of the loaves, which symbolizes God’s providence and abundance.
These readings are deeply intertwined. The love of God described in 1 John is the same love that Jesus embodies in the Gospel. Just as Jesus calmed the storm and reassured His disciples, God’s love is the anchor that holds us steady in the midst of life’s turbulence. The moral lesson here is clear: we are called to trust in God’s love and provision, even when the winds of fear and doubt assail us. Like the disciples, we may sometimes fail to see God’s hand at work in our lives, but His love remains constant and unchanging. Let us, therefore, strive to live in the confidence of His love, knowing that as long as we abide in Him, we need not be afraid.