Daily Readings - Thu Jan 09 2025
1 John
1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well.2This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.3This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,4for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Luke
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.15He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.16He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.17The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."20Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the profound connection between love and mission. The first reading from 1 John reminds us that love is not merely an emotion but a commitment to God and to one another. John emphasizes that true love for God is inseparable from love for our neighbor, and this love is expressed through obedience to God’s commandments. The reading also highlights the victory of faith over the challenges of the world, reassuring us that our faith will overcome all obstacles.
The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry, proclaiming His mission in the synagogue at Nazareth. Jesus reads from Isaiah, declaring that He has been anointed to bring good news to the poor, healing to the brokenhearted, and freedom to those oppressed. This passage is a cornerstone of Jesus’ identity and mission, and it challenges us to see ourselves as part of this ongoing work of love and liberation.
Together, these readings remind us that love and mission are deeply intertwined. Just as Jesus was sent to bring light and hope to those in need, we too are called to live out our faith through acts of love and compassion. Let us ask ourselves: How can we, in our daily lives, reflect the love of God by serving others, especially those on the margins? May we, like Jesus, allow the Spirit to guide us in fulfilling our mission to love and serve, bringing the light of God’s kingdom to a world in need.