Advent had passed and we find ourselves in the 5th day of the Octave trying our best to remain steadfast in the light of Christ. Indeed it is a struggle, for to love the Lord our God is to keep His Commandments. And we do so not with our lips but our actions of love and mercy for our brethren.
It is likely by now we have already fallen into sin, one way or another. Perhaps our impatience has gotten the better of us. We might have said something hurt others but are to proud to admit our mistake thinking they deserved it or perhaps someone close to us has said something to hurt us and we allow it to fester and decide not to forgive. Some may loosely say I forgive but will not forget! How is this forgiveness? We need to forgive and remember that we have forgiven. We may have longed for intimacy but instead have given in to lustful temptations. There are many other sins that might have led us away from God our Heavenly Father but it is time that we Stop, reflect and turn our hearts back to Him.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. And so by turning to Jesus our Lord and Saviour we can once again live free in His light.
“Here I am God, I give myself to You. Unto You, O Lord, do I lay down my entire life. I lay it before You on Your altar. Do as You please with me. Speak through me today. Touch people through me today. Place me in a position to meet all
divine appointments today. Make a difference in my world through me today. You have everything about me available to You for You to utilize according to Your plans and purposes.” Amen
First reading
1 John 2:3-11 ·
Anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
We can be sure that we know God
only by keeping his commandments.
Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,
and does not keep his commandments,
is a liar,
refusing to admit the truth.
But when anyone does obey what he has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him.
We can be sure that we are in God
only when the one who claims to be living in him
is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.
My dear people,
this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you,
but an old commandment
that you were given from the beginning,
the original commandment which was the message brought to you.
Yet in another way, what I am writing to you,
and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his,
is a new commandment;
because the night is over
and the real light is already shining.
Anyone who claims to be in the light
but hates his brother
is still in the dark.
But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
and need not be afraid of stumbling;
unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness,
not knowing where he is going,
because it is too dark to see.
Gospel
Luke 2:22-35
‘You have prepared a light to enlighten the pagans’
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
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