Reading 1 1 jn 5:14-21
Beloved:
We have this confidence in him
that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,
we know that what we have asked him for is ours.
If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,
he should pray to God and he will give him life.
This is only for those whose sin is not deadly.
There is such a thing as deadly sin,
about which I do not say that you should pray.
All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.
We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;
but the one begotten by God he protects,
and the Evil One cannot touch him.
We know that we belong to God,
and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One.
We also know that the Son of God has come
and has given us discernment to know the one who is true.
And we are in the one who is true,
in his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the true God and eternal life.
Children, be on your guard against idols.
Responsorial Psalm ps 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.
R. The Lord takes delight in his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel jn 3:22-30
Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,
where he spent some time with them baptizing.
John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,
because there was an abundance of water there,
and people came to be baptized,
for John had not yet been imprisoned.
Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jew
about ceremonial washings.
So they came to John and said to him,
“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,
to whom you testified,
here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”
John answered and said,
“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.
You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,
but that I was sent before him.
The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;
the best man, who stands and listens for him,
rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice.
So this joy of mine has been made complete.
He must increase; I must decrease.”
REFLECTION
by
One Bread, One Body - Reflection for January 11, 2014
DON'T RUIN YOUR APPETITE
"The Son of God has come and has given us discernment to recognize the One Who is true. And we are in the One Who is true, for we are in His Son Jesus Christ." –1 John 5:20
We must thirst for and strongly desire to receive the Holy Spirit to have living waters flow from within (Jn 7:37-38). Two baptisms prepare us for the baptism in the Spirit: first, the baptism of repentance, then the Baptism of new life in Jesus. These baptisms should make us more strongly desire the Holy Spirit.
However, the devil tries to ruin this process by causing confusion about the first two baptisms. For example, the scribes and Pharisees refused to accept the baptism of John, and Herod arrested and murdered John (Mk 6:28). There was also conflict surrounding the baptism which Jesus' apostles practiced. "A controversy about purification arose between John's disciples and a certain Jew. So they came to John, saying, 'Rabbi, the Man Who was with you across the Jordan – the One about Whom you have been testifying – is baptizing now, and everyone is flocking to Him' " (Jn 3:25-26). These conflicts leave a bad taste in our mouths and can turn us off to the next baptism, the baptism in the Spirit. What's the devil trying to do now to prevent you from receiving a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit tomorrow on the feast of the Baptism of Jesus? Don't let the confusion influence you. Thirst all the more for the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER: Jesus, there's always been controversy before, during, and after the outpouring of the Spirit. May I fix my eyes on You and be immersed in and filled with the Spirit.
PROMISE: "Anyone who sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, should petition God, and thus life will be given to the sinner." –1 Jn 5:16
PRAISE: Lorene prayed and quit smoking completely. She had smoked four packs a day.
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