First reading 1 John 4:19-5:4
Anyone who loves God must also love his brother
We are to love,
because God loved us first.
Anyone who says, ‘I love God’,
and hates his brother,
is a liar,
since a man who does not love the brother that he can see
cannot love God, whom he has never seen.
So this is the commandment that he has given us,
that anyone who loves God must also love his brother.
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
has been begotten by God;
and whoever loves the Father that begot him
loves the child whom he begets.
We can be sure that we love God’s children
if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;
this is what loving God is –
keeping his commandments;
and his commandments are not difficult,
because anyone who has been begotten by God
has already overcome the world;
this is the victory over the world –
our faith.
Responsorial Psalm 71(72):1-2,14-15,17
All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
O God, give your judgement to the king,
to a king’s son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgement.
All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
From oppression he will rescue their lives,
to him their blood is dear.
(Long may he live,
may the gold of Sheba be given him.)
They shall pray for him without ceasing
and bless him all the day.
All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
May his name be blessed for ever
and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him,
all nations bless his name.
All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.
Gospel Luke 4:14-22
‘This text is being fulfilled today, even as you listen’
Jesus, with the power of the Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone praised him.
He came to Nazara, where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place where it is written:
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to speak to them, ‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’ And he won the approval of all, and they were astonished by the gracious words that came from his lips.
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Love
“We are to love, because God loved us first. Anyone who says, ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, is a liar…” (1st reading). God loved us first. Believing that God loves us deeply, despite our flaws and the poor choices we make, empowers us and changes our hearts to love others, especially those we struggle to love. Today, let us show our love for God by putting love into action, for example, doing a good deed to a colleague, being patient with a family member, etc.
“The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” (The gospel). Jesus shows us what love is about. It is not a fleeting idea or a well-meaning intention, but it is expressed in action. Jesus, God incarnate, is always on the side of those suffering. His love radiates compassion, reaching out to the broken-hearted and marginalised, offering comfort and support to those in need. Let us open our hearts to love like Jesus.
Reflective question:
What strikes me as I pray with today’s readings?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
