Daily Readings - Fri Jan 03 2020
1 John
29If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.4Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.5But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.6No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.
John
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!30This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."32Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.33I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'34I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of our profound identity as children of God and the transformative power of Jesus Christ. The first reading from 1 John invites us to embrace our divine adoption, urging us to live holy lives as we await the full revelation of God's plan. It emphasizes that sin is iniquity, yet through Jesus, our sins are taken away, enabling us to abide in Him without sin. The Gospel of John presents John the Baptist's testimony, declaring Jesus as the Lamb of God who removes the world's sin, confirmed by the Holy Spirit's descent upon Him.
These passages beautifully intertwine, with 1 John providing the theological foundation of our holy calling and the Gospel illustrating how Jesus embodies this redemption. Together, they highlight Jesus as both the example of holiness and the source of our salvation. Recognizing our identity as God's children should inspire us to pursue holiness, while trusting in Jesus' power to overcome sin.
In our daily lives, let us embrace our divine identity, striving to live in accordance with God's will. May we find strength in Jesus, who not only reveals God's love but also empowers us to live sin-free lives. As we journey through life, may we continually seek to reflect God's holiness, trusting in Jesus as our savior and guide.