First reading 1 John 2:18-21
You have been anointed by the Holy One
Children, these are the last days;
you were told that an Antichrist must come,
and now several antichrists have already appeared;
we know from this that these are the last days.
Those rivals of Christ came out of our own number, but they had never really belonged;
if they had belonged, they would have stayed with us;
but they left us, to prove that not one of them
ever belonged to us.
But you have been anointed by the Holy One,
and have all received the knowledge.
It is not because you do not know the truth that I am writing to you
but rather because you know it already
and know that no lie can come from the truth.
Responsorial Psalm 95(96):1-2,11-13
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all you lands.
Sing to the Lord; bless his name;
announce his salvation, day after day.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult before the Lord.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
The Lord comes,
he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel John 1:1-18
The Word was made flesh, and lived among us
In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.
A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.
The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.
The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.
John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he existed before me.’
Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.
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Jesus, our companion
As we stand on the brink of a new year, many of us take a moment to pause and reflect on the past twelve months. We contemplate the joyful memories that warmed our hearts, the challenges that tested our resilience, the losses that brought sorrow, and the regrets that weighed us down. It is a time to embrace our experiences with gratitude, cherishing the lessons learned along the way, while nurturing a sense of hope for the future that lies ahead. Today’s gospel offers us a comforting reminder: Jesus, the Word made flesh, is by our side as we bid farewell to 2024. With His presence guiding us, we step into 2025 filled with the courage to embrace whatever the year may bring.
“The Word was the real light that gives light to everyone…”. During our darkest and most challenging moments, Jesus is our guiding light. Thus, we are not afraid to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new year. With Jesus by our side, we can embrace any uncertainty with unwavering peace and boundless joy.
Reflective question:
How can I step into the New Year with Jesus?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
