Envy, jealousy stems from our insecurities which compels us to compare what we do not have with others. Unfettered it leads us to commit heinous sins. Then there is unforgiveness which is murder because even if your sister or brother is alive they are dead to you. In your heart and mind you have killed them. How then can you expect to forgiven if you will not forgive?
Place all your faith and trust in Jesus. He is your security in all things. He alone can turn all curses into blessings. The Lord is integrity, through Him you will have no deceit. He who sees and knows all, looks into your heart. Come before Him and be fulfilled. Then together with the angels and saints in heaven, we can proclaim His glory. Amen
First reading
1 John 3:11-21
This is the message
as you heard it from the beginning: that we are to love one another; not to be like Cain, who belonged to the Evil One and cut his brother’s throat; cut his brother’s throat simply for this reason, that his own life was evil and his brother lived a good life.
You must not be surprised, brothers, when the world hates you; we have passed out of death and into life,
and of this we can be sure
because we love our brothers.
If you refuse to love, you must remain dead; to hate your brother is to be a murderer, and murderers, as you know, do not have eternal life in them.
This has taught us love–
that he gave up his life for us; and we, too, ought to give up our lives for our brothers.
If a man who was rich enough in this world’s goods
saw that one of his brothers was in need, but closed his heart to him, how could the love of God be living in him?
My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk,
but something real and active; only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence,
whatever accusations it may raise against us, because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything.
My dear people, if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience, we need not be afraid in God’s presence.
Gospel
John 1:43-51
After Jesus had decided to leave for Galilee, he met Philip and said, ‘Follow me.’ Philip came from the same town, Bethsaida, as Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, the one about whom the prophets wrote: he is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.’ ‘From Nazareth?’ said Nathanael ‘Can anything good come from that place?’ ‘Come and see’ replied Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, ‘There is an Israelite who deserves the name, incapable of deceit.’ ‘How do you know me?’ said Nathanael. ‘Before Philip came to call you,’ said Jesus ‘I saw you under the fig tree.’ Nathanael answered, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the King of Israel.’ Jesus replied, ‘You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.’ And then he added ‘I tell you most solemnly, you will see heaven laid open and, above the Son of Man, the angels of God ascending and descending.’
CatholicJules.net 