Daily Readings - Mon Dec 28 2020
1 John
5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.10If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.
Matthew
13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt,15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son."16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.17Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:18"A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of light, darkness, and the trustworthiness of God’s plan. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that God is light, and to walk in His light means to live in truth and fellowship with one another. John emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness, for it is only through humility and confession that we experience God’s mercy and cleansing. He also reassures us that Jesus, the Just One, is our Advocate before the Father, interceding for us and for the whole world.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a dramatic scene from the early life of Jesus: the flight into Egypt. Joseph, acting on the instructions of an angel, trusts God’s plan and flees with Mary and the child Jesus to escape Herod’s violence. This passage underscores the tension between light and darkness, as Herod’s jealousy and desire for power lead to great suffering. Yet, even in the midst of darkness, God’s plan unfolds, fulfilling the prophecy that Jesus, like the Israelites of old, would be called out of Egypt. The weeping of Rachel for her children echoes the universal human experience of loss and sorrow, but it also points to the hope of redemption that Jesus brings.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan, even when the path is uncertain or fraught with difficulty. Like Joseph, we are invited to listen for God’s voice and act with faith, even in the face of fear or doubt. Like John, we are reminded to walk in the light, acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness, so that we may live in truth and fellowship with one another. May we, like the Holy Family, find the courage to trust in God’s providence and to seek refuge in Him, for He is our Advocate, our Light, and our Salvation.