Daily Readings - Fri Jan 04 2019
1 John
7Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.8He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.9No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
John
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"39"Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour.40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus.41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ).42And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter ).
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on our identity as children of God and our response to His call in our lives. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that those who are born of God do not sin because God’s seed abides in them. This passage emphasizes the importance of living justly and loving one another, for it is through these actions that we manifest our true identity as sons and daughters of God. The apostle John encourages us to avoid deception and to remain steadfast in our commitment to justice and love, which are the hallmarks of a life lived in God.
In the Gospel, we see the beginnings of Jesus’ ministry as two disciples of John the Baptist encounter the Messiah. Their immediate response to follow Jesus and their eagerness to share this discovery with others—like Andrew bringing his brother Peter—demonstrate the transformative power of encountering Christ. This passage highlights the importance of openness to God’s call and the urgency of sharing the Good News with others. Just as Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, we too are called to lead others to Him through our words and actions.
These readings remind us that our faith is not meant to be static or private. As children of God, we are called to live lives of integrity and love, and to actively share the joy of knowing Christ with others. Let us ask ourselves: Am I living in a way that reflects my identity as a child of God? Am I open to following Jesus wherever He leads? And am I eager to bring others to Him? May we, like the disciples, respond with faith and enthusiasm to God’s call, and may our lives bear witness to the transformative power of His love.