Daily Readings - Tue Jan 07 2025
1 John
7Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.8Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.9In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.10In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Mark
34When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.35And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.36Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."37But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat?"38And he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."39Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass.40So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties.41And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all.42And they all ate and were satisfied.43And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.44And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of God's profound love and provision. The first reading from 1 John emphasizes that love originates from God, and it is through His love that we are born anew. This love is not passive but active, demonstrated by God sending His Son as an atonement for our sins. The Gospel from Mark illustrates this love in action through the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus, seeing the crowd's need, takes the little offered by His disciples—five loaves and two fish—and multiplies it to satisfy everyone, leaving an abundance of leftovers.
These readings, while distinct, are deeply connected. John's letter speaks to the spiritual love that defines God's nature, while Mark's narrative shows this love tangibly at work in the world. Together, they highlight God's care for both our spiritual and physical well-being. The context of John's letter was a time of encouragement for early Christians to embody God's love, while Mark's story underscores Jesus's compassion and divine power amidst the disciples' limited resources.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to trust in God's providence. Just as the disciples trusted Jesus with their meager offerings, we too can present our resources, talents, and challenges to Him. This trust allows God to work through us, transforming our limitations into abundance. The moral lesson here is clear: when we act out of love and trust in God, He can take the little we have and use it to make a significant impact. Let us, therefore, embrace God's love and trust in His provision, knowing that He will multiply our efforts beyond our wildest expectations.