Daily Readings - Sat Jan 07 2023
1 John
14And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.15And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.16If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life--to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.17All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.18We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.19We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.20And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.21Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
John
1On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.2Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."4And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."5His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."6Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.7Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim.8And he said to them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast." So they took it.9When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom10and said to him, "Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."11This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.12After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about trust and transformation. The first reading from 1 John reminds us of the confidence we have in prayer, knowing that God hears us when we ask according to His will. It distinguishes between sins, reassuring us of God's protection and the eternal life offered through His Son. The Gospel from John tells the story of the wedding at Cana, where Jesus transforms water into wine, revealing His glory and the power of faith.
Both readings are set in contexts that highlight trust in God. 1 John was written to early Christians to strengthen their faith, while the wedding at Cana is an early sign in John's Gospel that showcases Jesus' divine nature. The common thread is the transformative power of faith—whether through prayer or through trusting in God's plan.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's plan and remain open to His transformative power. Just as Mary trusted Jesus at the wedding, we can have confidence that God hears our prayers and works in our lives. The moral lesson here is the importance of faith and trust. Let us approach prayer with confidence, knowing God's love and care, and allow Him to work through us, transforming our lives and the world around us.