The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to live as lovers in the model of Christ.
The reading from the First Letter of John connects God’s Love and Christian Life as those who abide in love abide in God.
* [4:7–12] Love as we share in it testifies to the nature of God and to his presence in our lives. One who loves shows that one is a child of God and knows God, for God’s very being is love; one without love is without God. The revelation of the nature of God’s love is found in the free gift of his Son to us, so that we may share life with God and be delivered from our sins. The love we have for one another must be of the same sort: authentic, merciful; this unique Christian love is our proof that we know God and can “see” the invisible God.
* [4:13–21] The testimony of the Spirit and that of faith join the testimony of love to confirm our knowledge of God. Our love is grounded in the confession of Jesus as the Son of God and the example of God’s love for us. Christian life is founded on the knowledge of God as love and on his continuing presence that relieves us from fear of judgment (1 Jn 4:16–18). What Christ is gives us confidence, even as we live and love in this world. Yet Christian love is not abstract but lived in the concrete manner of love for one another. (1 John, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 72 is a prayer for Guidance and Support for the King.
* [Psalm 72] A royal Psalm in which the Israelite king, as the representative of God, is the instrument of divine justice (Ps 72:1–4, 12–14) and blessing (Ps 72:5–7, 15–17) for the whole world. The king is human, giving only what he has received from God. Hence intercession must be made for him. The extravagant language is typical of oriental royal courts. (Psalms PSALM 72 | USCCB, n.d.)
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus Walks on the Water.
* [6:45–52] See note on Mt 14:22–33.
* [6:45] To the other side toward Bethsaida: a village at the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
* [6:46] He went off to the mountain to pray: see Mk 1:35–38. In Jn 6:15 Jesus withdrew to evade any involvement in the false messianic hopes of the multitude.
* [6:48] Walking on the sea: see notes on Mt 14:22–33 and on Jn 6:19.
* [6:50] It is I, do not be afraid!: literally, “I am.” This may reflect the divine revelatory formula of Ex 3:14; Is 41:4, 10, 14; 43:1–3, 10, 13. Mark implies the hidden identity of Jesus as Son of God.
* [6:52] They had not understood…the loaves: the revelatory character of this sign and that of the walking on the sea completely escaped the disciples. Their hearts were hardened: in Mk 3:5–6 hardness of heart was attributed to those who did not accept Jesus and plotted his death. Here the same disposition prevents the disciples from comprehending Jesus’ self-revelation through signs; cf. Mk 8:17. (Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)
Andy Alexander, S.J. (2010) reflects that there is a powerful invitation here.
To let God's love not only touch us but to LIVE IN US. When God's love remains in us - makes its home there - then every day is different. The stuff that used to pre-occupy our hearts is replaced by this love of God. And, God's love occupying the center of our hearts begins to shape how we feel, how we react and respond to others. When we encounter the foolishness of others or even the cruelty of others, we respond the way God does. We feel sad that this person or these persons are broken somehow and we feel compassion and love for them - not because they have earned love, but because they need love. The instinct to defend ourselves or to strike back or to hold on to a hurt - often motivated by fear - is literally driven out by God's love in us. (Alexander, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “The wind was against them,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD).
"Meanwhile the boat carrying the disciples - that is, the church - is rocking and shaking amid the storms of temptation, while the adverse wind rages on. That is to say, its enemy the devil strives to keep the wind from calming down. But greater is he who is persistent on our behalf, for amid the vicissitudes of our life he gives us confidence. He comes to us and strengthens us, so we are not jostled in the boat and tossed overboard. For although the boat is thrown into disorder, it is still a boat. It alone carries the disciples and receives Christ. It is in danger indeed on the water, but there would be certain death without it. Therefore stay inside the boat and call upon God. When all good advice fails and the rudder is useless and the spread of the sails presents more of a danger than an advantage, when all human help and strength have been abandoned, the only recourse left for the sailors is to cry out to God. Therefore will he who helps those who are sailing to reach port safely, abandon his church and prevent it from arriving in peace and tranquility?" (excerpt from SERMON 75.4) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 John 4:11-18 comments that when Jesus walked the earth, he visibly demonstrated the love of God: “The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him” (John 1:18). Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven, we can make Jesus’ love visible when we “love one another” (1 John 4:12), because “whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (4:16). John is telling us that whenever we love each other, God’s love is present. In our words and acts of love, the unseen God himself is made visible.
As you make these simple efforts, you will be making God’s love visible. Sometimes you may have occasion for grand gestures of his mercy and kindness. But most often God is asking you to make him known in consistent, small ways. Today, be on the lookout for opportunities to do just that!
“Lord Jesus, help me to show your love today.” (Meditation on 1 John 4:11-18, n.d.)
The commentary from Friar Jude Winkler was not available at publication time.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that drawing on Jesus’ teaching about the importance of new wineskins, Fr.Richard reflects on how difficult it is to be truly open to something new.
It’s not enough to talk about some kind of new inebriating wine, some new ideas. Without new wineskins—changed institutions, systems, and structures—I would argue that transformation cannot be deep or lasting. As Dorothy Day wrote in her inimitable style, “We need to overthrow … this rotten … industrial capitalist system which breeds such suffering.” [1] Personal “salvation” cannot be divorced from social and systemic implications.
It’s easier to talk about the wine without the wineskins, to talk about salvation theories without any new world order. Unfortunately, Christianity has not always had a positive impact on Western civilization and the peoples it has colonized or evangelized. So-called Christian nations are often the most militaristic, greedy, and untrue to the teacher we claim to follow. Our societies are more often based not upon the servant leadership that Jesus modeled, but on the common domination and control model that produces racism, classism, sexism, power seeking, and income inequality. (Rohr, n.d.)
We ponder our experience of love and the connection of Love to God as we seek guidance to live in love of God, neighbour, and Nature.
References
Alexander, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Online Ministries. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/010825.htm
Mark, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/6?45
Meditation on 1 John 4:11-18. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/01/08/1175983/
1 John, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/4?11
Psalms PSALM 72 | USCCB. (n.d.). Bible Readings. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/72?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-church-that-imitates-jesus/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Take Heart, It Is I; Have No Fear. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 8, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jan8
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