The Word today, Holy FamilyC
- Admin
- Dec 28, 2024
- 3 min read
December 30 - January 04, 2025
1 John 2:12-17 The write addresses different “constituencies” in the community, children, the young and parents. A little care is needed in understanding: the “world” is not creation as such but evil forces which take us away from God.
Luke 2:36-40 This story continues yesterday, balancing the genders. Calling Anna a “prophetess” can surprise, but there were indeed woman prophets in ancient Israel: Miriam, Deborah, the wife of Isaiah, Huldah and Noadiah. In very old age, the Anna is full of expectation and discernment.
St Sylvester 1, bishop of Rome
1 John 2:18-21 There is an edgy moment in this reading. Clearly some members have defected (and are dismissed), but the nal tone is afrmative: It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you but rather because you know it already.
John 1:1-18 This great reading was already proclaimed on Christmas Day. We are invited to listen again, with “the ears of the heart” as St Augustine puts it. As you listen, notice that we too are part of the proclamation, part of the Good News.
Mary, mother of God
Numbers 6:22-27 As a new year opens, we glance back over the previous year, looking not only to the outward events, but also to the inward journey. Have I grown in faith? What nourished me this year?
Galatians 4:4-7 All of us know from within that we are children of God and, in the Spirit, we can call out Abba, Father!
Luke 2:16-21 The portrait of Mary in Luke 1-2 is meant to illustrate discipleship and to inspire disciples. Clearly a woman of faith, she appropriates all that happens by treasuring and pondering. Cf. Luke 2:51.
Sts Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors
1 John 2:22-28 The reading reects profound conict in the community of the Fourth Gospel over Jesus’ identity. It would seem that at least some did not accept the deep teaching about Jesus as the word made esh.
John 1:19-28 All the Gospels are anxious about the identity of John the Baptism and are keen to relativise his signicance. In this late Gospel, John the Baptist sharply denies the various categories used. For this Gospel, he is the voice in the desert where as Jesus is the Word made esh.
The Most Holy Name of Jesus St Munchin, bishop
1 John 2:29-3:6 Today we hear a justly famous passage, which goes simply and directly to the heart of the matter. The proclamation of the love of God is completed by presenting the consequences for us as believers.
John 1:29-34 What John says of Jesus reects the understanding of the Fourth Gospel, an understanding which is deep and challenging. Most likely, we are not really hearing the opinion of the historical John the Baptist but the theology of the evangelist.
1 John 3:7-10 The test of good living is not introspection but inspection of how we actually live and what choices we make. As Archbishop Temple put it long ago: it is not the action matters and prayer helps but that prayer matters and action is its test.
John 1:35-42 The question at the centre of this Gospel is the key question for life as such. A slightly more accurate translation could be: what do you desire? The question comes up again in John 20 with a highly signicant adjustment: whom are you looking for?
References
-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024an, December 29). Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/122924.cfm
-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/
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