M
MariaChristi
Guest
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The Mass Readings for this morning are significant to me as we close out this Advent/Christmas/Epiphany season of the Liturgical Year. The First reading from John’s First Letter ends with the words:
St. John the Apostle in his First Letter to the Church gives us a very important warning: “Children, be on your guard against idols”. Even in the early Church, John could see how human nature can choose “idols” (including becoming an idol to oneself). There are many idols today: power, money, the praise of others, careers — they are all “false gods” around us. Yet, John reminds us of the gifts we have been given in our own Baptism. We have been baptized into Christ: “And we are in the one who is true”.
May every Catholic hear the Holy Word of God telling us through St. John’s letter: "…We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. " In our Baptism we were given the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and so we can by God’s gifts discern, by the power of the Holy Spirit, what is true and what is false. We have been given all we need to become holy. May we renew our Baptism with great fervor tomorrow on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus.
I would add one important note for anyone who has not read St. Louis De Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which he explains how Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary is a perfect renewal of our Baptism. You can read this classic spiritual treatise online HERE. God willing, I hope to start a series of threads for the 33 Day preparation for this total Consecration as St. Louis de Montfort describes it. God willing, we will begin before the Feast of the Annunciation March 25. I hope many will renew or consider making their Act of Consecration to Jesus through Mary for the first time, during this Year of Mercy.
The Mass Readings for this morning are significant to me as we close out this Advent/Christmas/Epiphany season of the Liturgical Year. The First reading from John’s First Letter ends with the words:
And the Gospel for today ends with the words:
St. John the Baptist is at the beginning and end of this season, and for good reason. He is the greatest prophet of the Old and prepares the way for the New. His testimony to Jesus is one that can help us to enter into this next season of living Christ’s Life as we celebrate the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism tomorrow and enter into his Public Life, then Lent, Resurrection Ascension and Pentecost. The Liturgical Year is given to us to follow Jesus and to live His Life more fully by His Grace. If we are to grow in Christ, we need the humility which John the Baptist expresses: "He (Christ) must increase; I (that selfishness which opposes Christ must decrease). Whom will I choose to follow? Jesus or myself, or which idol?
St. John the Apostle in his First Letter to the Church gives us a very important warning: “Children, be on your guard against idols”. Even in the early Church, John could see how human nature can choose “idols” (including becoming an idol to oneself). There are many idols today: power, money, the praise of others, careers — they are all “false gods” around us. Yet, John reminds us of the gifts we have been given in our own Baptism. We have been baptized into Christ: “And we are in the one who is true”.
May every Catholic hear the Holy Word of God telling us through St. John’s letter: "…We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. " In our Baptism we were given the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and so we can by God’s gifts discern, by the power of the Holy Spirit, what is true and what is false. We have been given all we need to become holy. May we renew our Baptism with great fervor tomorrow on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus.
I would add one important note for anyone who has not read St. Louis De Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in which he explains how Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary is a perfect renewal of our Baptism. You can read this classic spiritual treatise online HERE. God willing, I hope to start a series of threads for the 33 Day preparation for this total Consecration as St. Louis de Montfort describes it. God willing, we will begin before the Feast of the Annunciation March 25. I hope many will renew or consider making their Act of Consecration to Jesus through Mary for the first time, during this Year of Mercy.