Octave of Christmas
03rd January 2024 (Wednesday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: 1 John 2:29-3:6
Beloved: If you know that God is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.
Psalm 98:1, 3cd-4, 5-6 (R. 3cd)
R/. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. To all who did receive him, he gave the right to become children of God.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : John 1:29-34
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: Know and Testify!
Guidlines: Those who know God and experience Him, will see Him. Those who see Him will become like Him. Those who become like Him will testify about Him{alertSuccess}
1. John the Baptist knows and proclaims Jesus as the "Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world". He sees him as the Son of God Who is come to save the world. And he bears witness to him as the Lord and Master.
2. Today, we too are specially called by God to become living testimonies for God. We need to personally know Him and see Him. We need to become "light to the nations", showing the Lord and leading many to Him.
3. Here we note that to know God is not merely intellectual. To see God is not merely perceptual or empirical. The world glorifies itself in its magnitude of knowledge. But the true and highest knowledge is to know God and the height of knowledge of God is to belong to him intimately.
4. Therefore, all such knowledge that is prone to alienate us from God, which is prone to sin and bears no testimony to God's love and power, is only empty knowledge and even evil and harmful. We can testify to the Lord effectively to the extent we ourselves personally and deeply know him and see him, and commit ourselves to show him to many and lead them to him.
5. It implies a profound personal familiarity and connectivity with God in terms of an intimate inseparable relationship. This makes us passionately rooted in God and unflinchingly loyal to Him.
6. This sets us to accompany others, to enlighten and guide them. This is further to lead them constantly to the same intimacy and relationship with the Lord. This mission and commitment do not stop with a mere personal closeness and relationship with God.
7. It also sets us on a journey of following God's ways and values. Concretely, it means to part with sin resolutely, to live righteously like God's children who know him, love him, and live his life, and to bear testimony to him, as did John the Baptist.
Practice: Let us not content and pride ourselves with a magnitude of knowledge but be intent and stride on the rectitude of life. The more we are with God and closer to Him, the more we will be like him.{alertSuccess}