Daily Readings - Mon Dec 30 2024

¹²I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name.¹³I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father.¹⁴I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.¹⁵Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.¹⁶For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world.¹⁷The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Luke

Chapter 2

³⁶There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,³⁷and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.³⁸Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.³⁹When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.⁴⁰And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the call to live a life rooted in God’s love and truth, while navigating the challenges of the world around us. In the first reading from 1 John, the apostle addresses believers as “little children,” “young men,” and “fathers,” emphasizing the universal call to live in accordance with God’s will. He warns against loving the world and its desires, which are fleeting and opposed to the eternal life offered by God. Instead, he encourages believers to remain strong in their faith, abiding in God’s Word, and overcoming the evil that seeks to pull them away from Him. The Gospel from Luke presents us with the figure of Anna, a prophetess who embodies a life of devotion and perseverance. As a widow, Anna dedicates herself to prayer and fasting, never leaving the temple. Her encounter with the infant Jesus is a moment of profound joy and fulfillment, as she recognizes Him as the long-awaited redemption of Israel. Anna’s life serves as a model of faithfulness and hope, showing us how to remain steadfast in our commitment to God even in the face of challenges and uncertainties. Meanwhile, the passage also highlights the growth of the young Jesus, who is filled with wisdom and grace, reminding us that spiritual growth is a lifelong journey. Together, these readings call us to evaluate our priorities and allegiances in life. Like Anna, we are invited to cultivate a deep relationship with God through prayer and service, trusting in His plan even when the world around us seems chaotic. The warning in 1 John against loving the world reminds us to guard our hearts against the temptations of materialism and selfishness, instead choosing to live in a way that reflects God’s will. As we go about our daily lives, may we strive to remain rooted in faith, hope, and love, knowing that true fulfillment comes not from the world but from abiding in God.