Daily Readings for January 3, 2015

1ST READING

Righteousness tends to have negative connotations today. It carries with it religious connections that people are reluctant to embrace, such as commitment to an external and objective set of rules that underpin a person’s life. Modern individualism tends to locate the essence of truth within the individual, wholly dependent on his or her own judgment and choices. This is untrue. Unless there is an objective measure of truth that binds all people, chaos and anarchy will prevail. This is what the world is beginning to look like.

1 John 2:29 – 3:6 (or Philippians 2:1-11)

29 If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him. 3:1 See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. 5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 3-4, 5-6 (or Psalm 110:1-2, 3-4, 5-6)

R: All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 3 All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R) 5 Sing praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the Lord. (R)

GOSPEL

John the Baptist knows that Jesus is the measure of the message of God. John always points people in the direction of Jesus and never to himself. This is the problem with so much of the pseudo-spiritual nature of many self-help groups in the world today — they point within and not to God! They teach us structures and programs and not faith in Jesus Christ. The structures and programs have a place in our lives, but apart from faith in Christ, apart from the truth, they will be ineffective and meaningless in our search for true fulfillment and happiness.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. To those who accepted Him He gave power to become the children of God.

John 1:29-34 (or Luke 2:21-24)

29 John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. 30 He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ 31 I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” 32 John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. 33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

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