Wednesday, January 7, 2015

"As is he [Christ Jesus]. so are we in this world" (1 John 4: 17)



In today’s first reading, 1 Jn 4: 11-18, John says to us: “…as he is, so are we in this world.”  What, I asked myself, could this possibly mean?  As I reflected upon this phrase in prayer, I asked Jesus to enlighten me. What came through the prayerful reflection was the following:

“Jesus was God’s Anointed One,”  the Spirit said to me in prayer. “You, too, have been anointed in your baptism, anointed in the Spirit that enables you to accept the gifts of salvation, of being freed from sin and set apart for a divine purpose. Like Jesus, you are anointed to be Good News, proclaiming the Kingdom of God on earth.  You are in the world as my ambassadors, as holy persons, to confront sin with goodness, weakness with strength, deceit with honesty, fear with courage.  As my Son is, so are you, one with God and one another—a union of love by the Spirit’s anointing, by the reception of the sacraments, by receiving the Eucharist, by immersing yourself in the Scriptures.   As my Son, so, too, you:  you are endowed with the capacity to grow in love, in forgiveness, in patience, and  in hope to realize fully who you are in Christ Jesus, my Son, your brother and Savior.  

Lord, I believe that each of us is called to live in such a way as to honor our anointing with the Spirit, that we have been set apart to serve you, to be in the world but not of the world, to be imminent in responding in love to those in need of love,  understanding, compassion, forgiveness and mercy, including ourselves. I believe that we are called to transcend, by the power of the Spirit within us, the allurements of Satan whereby we are tempted to live selfish lives, perpetuate injustices and embrace inauthentic freedoms, deadening our consciousness of God. I believe that through the Spirit we are empowered to say “No” to invitations to live godless lives and  to say “yes” to centering our lives in You. “…as he [Jesus] is, so, too, are we in the world” (1 Jn 4: 17).

What are your beliefs?

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