20201229 WITNESS OF THE LIGHT OF LOVE AND TRUTH
29 December, 2020, Tuesday, 5th Day Within the Octave of Christmas
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: White.
First reading | 1 John 2:3-11 © |
Anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
We can be sure that we know God
only by keeping his commandments.
Anyone who says, ‘I know him’,
and does not keep his commandments,
is a liar,
refusing to admit the truth.
But when anyone does obey what he has said,
God’s love comes to perfection in him.
We can be sure that we are in God
only when the one who claims to be living in him
is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.
My dear people,
this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you,
but an old commandment
that you were given from the beginning,
the original commandment which was the message brought to you.
Yet in another way, what I am writing to you,
and what is being carried out in your lives as it was in his,
is a new commandment;
because the night is over
and the real light is already shining.
Anyone who claims to be in the light
but hates his brother
is still in the dark.
But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light
and need not be afraid of stumbling;
unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness,
not knowing where he is going,
because it is too dark to see.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 95(96):1-3,5-6 © |
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
It was the Lord who made the heavens,
his are majesty and state and power
and splendour in his holy place.
Let the heavens rejoice and earth be glad.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn1:14,12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.
To all who received him he gave power to become children of God.
Alleluia!
Or: |
Alleluia, alleluia!
A light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 2:22-35 © |
'You have prepared a light to enlighten the pagans'
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
WITNESS OF THE LIGHT OF LOVE AND TRUTH
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 JOHN 2:3-11; LUKE 2:22-35 ]
Christmas is a celebration of the light of Christ coming into the world to enlighten all men and women. The child Jesus is a glimpse of hope for our future. This is why, at Christmas, we put on lights, small ones, to give hope and joy to the world because God has come in the baby Jesus. Simeon the prophet saw this through the help of the Holy Spirit, the future salvation that Jesus came to give. “He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord.” He took Jesus “into his arms and blessed God; and he said: ‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.'”
In the baby Jesus, Simeon felt comforted for he saw in Jesus the hope of salvation. He was so at peace and felt ready to depart from this world, having encountered the hope of his salvation. Because of him, we have the famous “Nunc Dimittis” prayer which Christians pray every night. These tiny lights like the stars will one day shine so brightly as Jesus would in His death and resurrection, when the glory of His majesty would be revealed. It is in view of His death and resurrection which has won us our salvation that Christmas is celebrated.
This explains why Christmas is always celebrated under the shadow of the cross and darkness. Right from the start, when the light came into the world, Herod, the symbol of darkness and evil, sought to snuff out that light by seeking to kill the infant King. He felt threatened by the King of kings. He deceived the Magi into making them believe he also wanted to pay homage to the Infant King of the Jews. When his plot was uncovered, he cruelly had all infants under the age of two slaughtered to death. In today’s gospel, Simeon prophesied to Mary and Joseph, “You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.”
Indeed, Jesus would cause many to fall because of their sins and rejection of salvation offered to them. He will expose their evil deeds, their hypocrisy and their pride. This was what happened to our Lord when He began His public ministry. He exposed the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. He reprimanded them for putting up a show in what they did. They lacked sincerity in observing the laws, forgetting the spirit of it. So the Jewish leaders were dealt the greatest criticisms by our Lord. He did not mince His words because they were putting unnecessary burdens on the common people. All the more, He created enemies. Indeed, because of Jesus, “the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.” There was no way to remain neutral. We are either for Him or against Him.
But He would cause many to rise as well. Because of Jesus, those who were marginalized by society were brought back. He welcomed the tax collectors, sinners and prostitutes. He let them know their sins were forgiven and called them to live a righteous life. He transformed the life of Levi and Zacchaeus. He gave new life to the woman who committed adultery and to Mary Magdalene who was possessed by seven demons. Indeed, because of His death and resurrection, many will rise in Him. St Paul wrote, “For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many.” (Rom 5:15) “For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Rom 5:19)
Today, we are called to be like St Stephen, the Holy Innocents and St Thomas Becket, whose feasts we just celebrated. They were ready to die for the light of truth and of love for the sake of Christ. They were witnesses of Christ’s love for humanity in assuming our humanity. Just as Christ was ready to empty Himself of His divinity, they were ready to empty themselves of their lives for Christ. After celebrating the martyrs following Christ’s birth, we are now being challenged to be martyrs and witnesses for Christ. Are we ready to give up our lives for Him just as He was ready to give up His divinity and His life for us?
How can we do this if not by walking in the light? This demands that we walk the way of truth by observing the commandments. St John wrote, “Anyone who says, ‘I know him’, and does not keep his commandments, is a liar, refusing to admit the truth. But when anyone does obey what he has said, God’s love comes to perfection in him. We can be sure that we are in God only when the one who claims to be living in him is living the same kind of life as Christ lived.” The commandments in the Scriptures offer us guidelines to discern what is good and what is true. They are means by which we know for certain that we are doing the right thing. Jesus remarked, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.” (Jn 14:23f) We might not always understand the rationale or even be convinced of the truth of what the Lord taught us but because it is the Word of God, we accept it for what it really is, admitting that perhaps we are unenlightened as yet to understand the fullness of what is taught by our Lord.
This was the example set by the parents of Jesus. We read that earlier on, they had Jesus circumcised according to the Law eight days after His birth. Then on the fortieth day, “when the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Three times a year, they also made the yearly pilgrimage to the Temple on the Feast of Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. The parents were law abiding. They belonged to the remnants, the anawim who remained faithful to the Law.
Secondly, walking in the truth is to walk in love. The only truth is a love that is true and pure. St John says, “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the dark. But anyone who loves his brother is living in the light and need not be afraid of stumbling; unlike the man who hates his brother and is in the darkness, not knowing where he is going, because it is too dark to see.” If we cannot see another man or woman as our brother or sister, then we are walking in darkness still. A man who is filled with the light of God will be enlightened to know that we are all God’s children and we all share the same destiny and calling. Hating our brothers and sisters will close our heart to the joy of love and inclusivity. One who is filled with the love of God will always be compassionate and merciful to His brothers and sisters.
St John wrote, “My dear people, this is not a new commandment that I am writing to tell you, but an old commandment that you were given from the beginning, the original commandment which was the message brought to you.” Indeed, there is ultimately only one commandment, which is the commandment to love God, ourselves and others. (Dt 6:5; Lev 19:18) But it is also new because Jesus showed us the way to live out this commandment of love to the utmost in giving our lives for others, in limitless forgiveness, in boundless mercy and compassion. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (Jn 13:34) As Christians, we too must live the same life our Lord has shown us and empowered us to do by giving us His Holy Spirit. Only love can overcome the darkness of hatred and selfishness in the world. Only forgiveness can restore our relationship with God and others.
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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