First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2a;10-11
Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:46-48;49-50;53-54 (R. Isaiah 61:10b)
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
Gospel Acclamation: Isaiah 61:1 (Luke 4:18)
Gospel: John 1:6-8;19-28
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| Jennifer Nwatu |
MY REFLECTION
He was not the light but came to bear witness to the light...
Do we realise that we are pointers to Christ? Just like John we are to make straight, the path of the Lord; we are to tell of him to others.
John understood firsthand, the role he was to play and how to go about it, and he followed through with it.
He confessed humbly: "I am the voice of the one crying in the wilderness"
What about you and I?
Have we realised what role we are called to play in the Lord's coming as the Prince of Peace?
Do we know we are called to bear witness to the Light?
Do we realise that in preparation, we discover better what we ought to do in contribution to the Lord's coming?
May God open our minds to know what he demands of us and help us to be willing to give our little on a daily basis, in preparation for his coming, Amen 🙏
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| Rosemary Ibazebo |
MY REFLECTION
👉🏽 Rejoice ALWAYS (even in the state of the economy)
👉🏽 Pray CONSTANTLY (whether you feel like it or not)
👉🏽 Give thanks in ALL circumstances (ALL not some)
For this is the WILL of God in Christ Jesus for us all. Nothing else to add.
Glory to Jesus...
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| Janefrances Udeh |
MY REFLECTION (Pidgin Version)
As John dey yan with all those church oga dem for the Gospel reading, e show say John mind dey touch ground (oyinbo go call am "humility").
Even as he sef get levels, e no want make people know. He sha want make dem gallant dey wait for the main person wey get bigger levels, Jesus Christ.
The tori dey teach us say make we reason how we dey live our lives.
Also, dem tok say tomorrow na Gaudete Sunday (big grammar). No worry, I go break am down:
Gaudete mean say make we rejoice. Sake of say, the person wey go save us, go soon show face.
My people, as God don say make we dey happy, na so we go happy dey go ooo even when kasala wan burst reach our side, make we no too reason am. Our Popsy wey dey for heaven go surely save us. So, make we dey hail and appreciate am on a normal level.
Las las, na who no sabi God na him lose.
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| Comfort Edewor |
MY REFLECTION
"Among you stands one whom you do not know"
The above testimony of John makes the point that from the beginning, God had a timetable as to time He would reveal the true identity of Jesus to the world. Even though he had been with them all the while, they probably only knew him as son of Mary and of Joseph the carpenter. That was God's design.
The advent of John the Baptist whose sole mission on earth was to announce the presence of the Messiah and to prepare the people for Jesus's mission, further emphasizes the need and urgency for adequate preparation to receive him, so that when he does appear, our hearts would be ready and prepared for the Good News he brings.
We are again reminded that preparing to welcome Jesus this season is not just about, saving money for new clothes, rice, chicken and choice drinks, but about being spiritually disposed to identify with him when he comes.
We should be constantly asking ourselves, if he will meet us ready to receive him when he comes, or are we going to be found swimming in carnal pleasures instead.
Repentance is key to welcoming Jesus Christ into our lives and this teaching was John's sole mission on earth. This should be food for thought for all Christians.
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| Nicholas Omonjeva |
MY REFLECTION
Apostle Paul is deep oh.
"He who calls me is faithful, and he will do it".
Do what sir?
Contextually, God of peace Himself, he is not delegating this one oh, will sanctify me wholly and He will keep my spirit, soul and body, sound and blameless, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
On my own part, anything that is called evil should not have a part in me.
Come Lord Jesus!!!
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| Okolo Ikenna |
MY REFLECTION
Repentance Preceeds Miracle
The reason John came before Jesus was to draw the people away from the distractions of the city– the naked women on the streets, political rot, corruption, lies, pornography, masturbation, cheats in the market, fraudsters, ritualists, organ harvesters, e.t.c, into the quiet place of encounter in the desert; the people left the city to go meet him in the desert.
You can not seek an encounter with Jesus when you are not isolated. You must have to give up a lot of trends– you must not say what they say, listen to music they listen, watch what the world watches, you must go find yourself in the desert, set apart, isolated because the baptism of isolation is what opens the "baptism of encounters and fire".
The reason you are struggling with that sin, addictions, depressions and prayerlessness is because you are not isolated. Even Jesus who was God, had to isolate himself before he came back with the fire and his fame spread abroad.
The desert exposes you to whom you truly are and how helpless you are without divine help. It exposes you to your weaknesses and how you cannot even untie your own sandals talk more of being worthy of working for God or ministering to God's people in the first place.
Everytime you open that page to see naked women, hear negative talks or discuss ills, you grow your doubts and fears in the spirit and weaken your soul's outreach to God.
Like Jude 1:20 admonishes us, "grow your faith isolated in prayers". Therefore, you must vet things you hear, watch, see and say. Your life right now, is an aggregate of what you have heard, watched, seen and have said in the last ten years. This is the reason why the Bible asks us to guard our hearts.
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