Daily Readings - Tue Jan 07 2020
1 John
7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Mark
34And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.35And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:36Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.37He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?38He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.39And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.40And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.41And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.42And they did all eat, and were filled.43And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.44And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound expressions of God’s love and care for humanity. The first reading from 1 John reminds us that love is not merely a human emotion but a divine gift. John writes, “God is love,” and this love is revealed in the ultimate sacrifice of sending his only Son to save us from our sins. This passage invites us to reflect on the boundless and selfless nature of God’s love, which is the source of all true love. The second reading, from Mark’s Gospel, shows us how this divine love is made tangible in the world. Jesus, seeing the vast crowd of people who were like sheep without a shepherd, takes pity on them and feeds them miraculously with just five loaves of bread and two fish. This miracle not only satisfies their physical hunger but also reveals Jesus as the Good Shepherd who provides for his people’s deepest needs.
The connection between the two readings is clear: both highlight the transformative power of God’s love. In 1 John, we see love as the essence of God’s being, while in Mark’s Gospel, we see love in action through Jesus’ compassion and provision. Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish to feed the crowd, God’s love multiplies in our lives when we trust in his providence and share his love with others. The readings remind us that love is not something we generate on our own but is a gift we receive from God, which we are then called to share generously.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How can we embody God’s love in our daily lives? Like the disciples, we may feel inadequate or overwhelmed by the challenges before us, but Jesus invites us to trust in him and to use whatever resources we have, no matter how small they may seem. By doing so, we participate in the miracle of spreading God’s love and care to a world in need. Let us also remember that true love is not self-serving but self-giving, just as God’s love for us is selfless and unconditional. May we strive to live as instruments of God’s love, bringing hope, comfort, and nourishment to those around us.