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Message of the Day
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“When perfect love has driven out fear, or fear has been transformed into love, then
everything that has been saved will be a unity growing together through the one and only Fullness, and everyone will be, in one another, a unity in the perfect Dove, the Holy Spirit.” - Gregory of Nyssa, Homilies on the Song of Songs, 15
(Thy Kingdom come . . . )
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Readings of the Day
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1 Jn 2:18-21; Psalm 96:1-2, 11-12, 13 Jn 1:1-18 In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and
without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it. A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children
of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God. And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only-begotten Son,
full of grace and truth. John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I
said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus
Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only-begotten Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed
him. USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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“He was in the world, and through Him the world was made, yet the world did not know who He was.” —John
1:10 Did you feel rejected in 2024? If so, you’re in good company. Jesus was also rejected. “To His own He came, yet His own did not accept Him” (Jn 1:11). What hurts most is the rejection which comes from those closest to us. For example, wives and husbands reject each other; parents refuse to forgive their children; sons and daughters rebel and break their parents’ hearts (see e.g. Mt 10:36). The psalmist cries: “If an enemy had
reviled me, I could have borne it; if he who hates me had vaunted himself against me, I might have hidden from him. But you, my other self, my companion and my bosom friend! You, whose comradeship I enjoyed; at whose side I walked in procession in the house of God!” (Ps 55:13-15) Even in the Church we can feel rejected by others. But our pain from rejection is almost nothing compared to humanity’s constant rejection of the Lord for
thousands of years. No one has been rejected more than Jesus. He understands our pain. As we end the old year and begin a new one, do two things: forgive and give. First, ask for the power to forgive all the rejections of the past. Second, give yourself to Jesus. He promises: “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me; no one who comes will I ever reject” (Jn 6:37). Let 2025 be the best year of your life. Prayer: Jesus, don’t let me go to sleep tonight without forgiving everyone who has ever hurt and rejected me (see Eph 4:26-27). I give myself to You. Remind me of this at midnight tonight. Promise: “But you have the anointing that comes from the Holy One, so that all knowledge is yours.” —1 Jn 2:20 Presentation Ministries
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Spiritual Reading
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The Practice of the Presence of God: The Best Rule of Holy Life, by Brother Lawrence (1611 - 1691). Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
https://ccel.org/ccel/lawrence/practice/practice Third Conversation
Faith working by love. * Outward business no detriment. * Perfect resignation the sure way. He told me, that the foundation of the spiritual life in
him had been a high notion and esteem of GOD in faith; which when he had once well-conceived, he had no other care at first, but faithfully to reject every other thought, that he might perform all his actions for the love of GOD. That when sometimes he had not thought of GOD for a good while, he did not disquiet himself for it; but after having acknowledged his wretchedness to GOD, he returned to Him with so much the greater trust in Him, by how much he found himself more wretched to have forgot
Him. That the trust we put in GOD honours Him much, and draws down great graces. That it was impossible, not only that GOD should deceive, but also that He should long let a soul suffer which is perfectly resigned to Him, and resolved to endure everything for His sake. That he had so often experienced the ready succours of Divine Grace upon
all occasions, that from the same experience, when he had business to do, he did not think of it beforehand; but when it was time to do it, he found in GOD, as in a clear mirror, all that was fit for him to do. That of late he had acted thus, without anticipating care; but before the experience above mentioned, he had used it in his affairs. When outward business diverted him a little from the thought of GOD, a fresh remembrance coming from
GOD invested his soul, and so inflamed and transported him that it was difficult for him to contain himself. That he was more united to GOD in his outward employments, than when he left them for devotion in retirement.
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