Daily Readings - Sat Jan 11 2025
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
22After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.23John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized24(for John had not yet been put in prison).25Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.26And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness--look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him."27John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.28You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.'29The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.30He must increase, but I must decrease."
Sermon
In today's readings, we explore themes of prayer, humility, and trust in God's plan. The first reading from 1 John emphasizes the power of prayer, urging us to pray with confidence, knowing that when our requests align with God's will, He hears us. It also distinguishes between sins that lead to death and those that do not, reassuring us that prayer can bring life to those who sin, except in cases of mortal sin. The reading concludes with a warning against idolatry, reminding us to keep our focus on the true God.
The Gospel from John describes a scene where both Jesus and John the Baptist are baptizing. A dispute arises between John's disciples and the Jews about purification, leading John to humbly clarify his role. He acknowledges that he is not the Christ but the one sent before Him, using the analogy of the groom and his friend to illustrate that his joy is fulfilled as Jesus increases while he decreases.
These readings teach us about the importance of humility and trust in God's plan. Like John the Baptist, we must recognize our roles and let God's will guide us. In our daily lives, we should approach prayer with confidence, trusting that God hears us and acts according to His plan. Let us embrace humility, allowing God to increase in our lives as we decrease, just as John did. The moral lesson is clear: trust in God's will and practice humility, letting His light shine through us.