Tuesday 4th January

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Are We Righteous, or Sinners?

John’s letter continues on the idea that Christians are “born of God” but now adds a strong ethical dimension to this: Those who are truly “born of God” do what is right and are “righteous” – mirroring the righteousness of God himself. There is an almost sectarian fervour in the assertion that “everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil” – which seems hard to reconcile with the Jesus who came to ” seek out and to save the lost ” Lk 19:10; although elsewhere this writer does allow for the possibility of repentance after sinning 1:9; 2:10 The Gospel has a set of heartwarming encounters between the first disciples and Jesus; his profound, provocative question, “What are you looking for?” and their stumbling desire to get to know him. It also conveys the importance of people helping their friends to find him. He invites them to “Come and see;” and the rest of this Gospel is a continual unfolding of the person and divine mission of Jesus.

First Reading: 1 John 3:7-10

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. Everyone who commits sin is a child of the devil; for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born of God do not sin, because God’s seed abides in them; they cannot sin, because they have been born of God. The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.

Gospel: John 1:35-42

The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” which translated means Teacher, “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” which is translated Anointed. He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him an said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” which is translated Peter.

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