Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: December 29, 2024

Date: Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Scripture Text: 1 John 3:1-2, 21-24

Beloved:

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God and receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

One option for the second reading of the day is taken from the 1st Letter of John in which John urges us to live our call as disciples of Christ fully even when others do not understand our belief. He also exhorts us believers to lives of faith in Christ, hope in Christ’s promise and love for one another so that we might remain in Him as He remains in us.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How well am I living Christ and keeping Christ daily?

Praying:

LORD, Jesus Christ, as we continue to celebrate your birth as our brother and savior, we offer You our love for You and our promise to love one another as You have loved us. Send your Spirit to help us live in You, with You and through You, to live lives pleasing to our Heavenly Father. Grant that our lives may give witness to You this day and all days, to your great love for us and to our salvation won by You through love. Amen.