The Catholic Calendar for Friday, January 6, 2006
Weekday of the Christmas Season
Blessed Andre' Bessette

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 John 5:5-13
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
Mark 1:7-11

A reflection on today's Scripture. . . .

"Who is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5: 5)

Now that all our labors and celebrations of Christmas Day are done, let us focus on God having blessed us with a New Year, a time to evaluate our lives and make a fresh start. Many of us make "resolutions" hoping to improve our "old" lives, but within a few days or weeks we fall back to their former habits. The problem may be that the change we seek is the fulfillment of a selfish desire rather than the embarking on a new life, participating in the rebirth offered to man through the coming of God's Son, Jesus Christ.

St. John's letter tells us that genuine faith in Christ results in our becoming "victors" over this world, that we are to engage ourselves in a battle against adopting the attitudes and practices of this world that run counter to God's love and truth--our gaining money, power, possessions, pleasure, esteem and personal convenience regardless of the harmful consequences to ourselves and our society.

From the primitive to the most highly cultured person, we all share an inner restlessness, a desire for "more" and "better." Still, regardless of our gains, dissatisfaction remains and our seeking persists because human inner peace and rest depends upon our being fully given to God. In today's Gospel Christ in our human flesh does this when He who was sinless submits to being baptized. He did this to completely identify Himself with humanity and its need for being cleansed of sin. His immersion in the river signifies the death and burial of our sinful human flesh. His rising from the water foretells His resurrection and His offer to mankind of a new life. The coming of the dove, the Holy Spirit, then identifies Him fully as God's Son. If we have genuine faith in Jesus, He gives us of His same Spirit so that we who were once dead in sin may come alive as the children of God.

Father of the Word made flesh, lift us beyond that which this world offers and draw us into the realm of Your Holy Spirit who makes our human lives complete. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2006 The Way, The Truth, The Life