Daily Readings - Tue Dec 28 2021
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 interplay of light and darkness, sin and redemption, and the trust we must place in God’s providence. In the first reading from 1 John, we are reminded that God is light, and to walk in His light means living truthfully and humbly, acknowledging our sins and seeking forgiveness. John reassures us that Jesus Christ, the Just One, is our Advocate, who not only forgives our sins but also offers His life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. This passage calls us to honesty about our failings and trust in God’s mercy.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a dramatic contrast between the light of Christ and the darkness of human sin. Herod’s ruthless attempt to destroy the infant Jesus symbolizes the world’s resistance to the light of God. Yet, in the midst of danger, Joseph trusts in God’s guidance, obeying the angel’s command to flee to Egypt. This passage reminds us that even in uncertain and perilous times, God’s plan unfolds, and His promises are fulfilled. The Holy Family’s journey into exile and their eventual return from Egypt echo the prophet’s words, “Out of Egypt, I called my son,” a foreshadowing of Jesus’ mission to redeem all humanity.
In our own lives, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable, like the darkness Herod represents. But today’s readings encourage us to walk in the light of truth, to acknowledge our sins, and to trust in God’s providence. Like Joseph, we are called to listen to God’s voice, even in the stillness of the night, and to act with faith. Let us remember that Jesus, our Advocate, is always with us, offering forgiveness and strength. May we, like the Holy Family, trust in God’s plan and find refuge in His light, even when the world around us seems filled with darkness.