Daily Readings - Sat Dec 31 2022
1 John
18Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.20But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge.21I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
John
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2He was in the beginning with God.3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.4In him was life, and the life was the light of men.5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.15(John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.'")16And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.18No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound truths about the nature of God and our relationship with Him. The first reading from 1 John warns us about the presence of antichrists, false teachers who seek to lead us astray. John reassures us that we have the anointing of the Holy One, which gives us the knowledge of the truth. This anointing is the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and guides us in discerning what is true and what is false. The reading reminds us that we are in the last hour, a time of spiritual battle, but we are not left without resources. We have the truth of God, and we are called to remain faithful.
The Gospel from John presents the eternal Word, who is Jesus Christ. The prologue of John’s Gospel is a beautiful theological hymn that reveals the divinity of Jesus. The Word was with God from the beginning, and through Him, all things were created. He is the light of humanity, shining in the darkness, and He became flesh to dwell among us. The reading emphasizes that Jesus is the true Light, and those who receive Him become children of God. This truth is both a gift and a challenge. It calls us to recognize the presence of God in our lives and to live in accordance with His grace and truth.
These readings invite us to reflect on the reality of God’s presence in our world and in our hearts. In a time filled with confusion and falsehood, we are reminded that the Holy Spirit equips us to discern the truth. Jesus, the Word made flesh, is the ultimate revelation of God’s love and truth. As we navigate the challenges of daily life, we are called to remain rooted in the truth of God’s Word and to live as children of light. Let us embrace the grace and truth that come through Jesus Christ, and may His light shine in us, transforming our lives and the world around us.