1 John 2: 18- 21/Ps 95:1-2,11-13/John 1:1-18

 

              

He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him” (Jn 1:10-11). But to all who received him, he gave the power to become sons of God… (Jn 1:12-13). Are you a son of God? Are you truly a Christian?  Many Christmas celebrations concentrated on the details of the festivities. They emphasized the food, drinks, and gifts that we partake and share in. Those things became the focus in many of our Christmas observances and celebrations. We overlooked and forgot the One whom we all ought to be celebrating.

In the Gospel Toady John, the evangelist is telling us that light shines in darkness. Darkness not overpower it. The light is Jesus Christ. We people are in darkness. Yet, we are not dark unless we refuse to accept the Light. We are in darkness when we stay in our sins. We are in darkness when we do not want to change our negative minds. When will you stop going to give sacrifice to gods? When will you come back to the Church? When will you stop your addiction? We are in darkness when we only focus on foods and drinks and forget the most important message of Christmas. We are in darkness when our heart is full of hatred.

We are in darkness when we are incapable of seeing the hand of God in our life. How often do you get a sacrament of reconciliation?  One of the weapons Satan uses to chain People is to let them sit and sleep in their sins. You need to reconcile your relationship with God, you need to stand up and go for confession. Are you afraid of revealing yourself to God? What was your last time to get sacrament of reconciliation? Pray for humility so that you can confess your sin.

So that you can rise from darkness. Confession wash away all our sins.  Jesus is the true light, that gives light to every man” (Jn 1:9). You need Jesus Christ to stand up from any darkness in your life. He is the true light that enlightens every person. You and I know the dark side of our life.

It is by choosing the True light that we will be ready for the end of time. This readiness includes the second coming of Messiah, as Saint John says in today’s first reading. Are you ready for the last time? Are you ready of the second coming of Messiah?  In the Gospel of Luke 21, 8-19 Jesus talks about the signs of the end of time. One sign is the false teachers. They will come and teach in the name of Jesus. Saint John is now denouncing their teaching.

It is the last hour: In the equivalent term is “the last day.” Jewish eschatology expected a period of distress to precede the coming of the Messiah and the last times. In Christian eschatology, a great change occurred with the death and resurrection of Christ.

The Messiah has come, but he will also come again. The intervening period is that of the last times. In the Gospel of Matthew 24:23, Jesus warned us. He said, if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Christ,” or “Over here,” do not believe it. False prophets will arise and give great signs. John is telling us that Antichrist has come. Antichrist can mean either “one who opposes Christ” or “one who replaces Christ”.

Now days many Antichrists have arisen. He clearly understands “Antichrist” as signifying any false teachers. These are individuals who afflict the Church in this “last hour.” Many Antichrist have come, ” and we must stay vigilant in our faith.

In union with God’s Spirit, true Christians can recognize truth for what it is. They can also recognize falsehood for what it is. They know that the Antichrists have no share with them. We heard also in the Gospel that “In The beginning was the Word and the Word was God”. We are at the close of 2024. We step into a new year. This moment calls not for remorse or regret. It also calls not for fear or doubt. Instead, it calls for hope and renewal. We need to stay true to our bond with God and remaining faithful to values rooted in goodness and humanity. 

As we think about the end of this year, we look ahead to the new one. We are invited to ask ourselves: Are we for Christ or against Him? Are we walking in His light or wandering in darkness? Have we drawn close to Him, or are we spiritually far from Him? You need to stand firm, just be a good Christian. Do not be terrified by those who will come to you with threats. They say that if you do not do this or that, you will die tomorrow.

They claim that what you do as Christians is not correct. The Antichrist uses doom theology to manipulate people. Some will urge you to go here and do this to find a husband or wife. Others will tell you to do something else to be healed. Our Christ is Christ who suffered on the cross. Those who do not want to accept their cross and follow Jesus Christ do not listen to them. One of the twelve Messages at Kibeho in Rwanda Mary teaches that suffering is necessary for the Christian life. It allows us to join in Jesus’ redemption of the world.

John the Baptist is depicted as a witness to the light, symbolizing his role as a precursor to Jesus. His testimony emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and surrendering to the light of Christ. John’s witness highlights the value of humility and selflessness. He recognizes his own limitations and points others to the true light.

From John Baptist, we can learn to be humble. We learn humility when we stop asking God for what we want. We ask what he wants me to do. The majority of our prayers in our heart today, we always keep asking God for something. We ask for special favors. We ask him to help our sick friend get better. We ask for help to find us a job. We want help for our addicted relative. We also ask him to help us make it to work on time. This change our spiritual lives when we stop asking God for what we want and start asking what he wants.

When you are praying tell God “What do you want me to do?” “God, what do you think I should do in this situation… at home, work, with my friend, with my son, with my mother?” “God, what do you think I should focus on in my relationship with my children?” “God, what area of my marriage should I work on growing?” And ultimately, “God, what do you think I should do with the rest of my life?” You will get answer that will help you to get up from your darkness.

When we start asking God for advice, direction, inspiration, and guidance, this is a significant moment. It marks a real shift in our spirituality. When we stop asking him for things, we stop asking for favors. We cease asking for our will to be done. We start to open ourselves to much more than his will. We open ourselves to his wisdom.  

This transforms the way we see ourselves, other people, creation, society, and indeed God. This is what I wish for everyone in this new coming year of 2025. With humility and prayer ask God what he wants on you.  This will transform your life. As we mature spiritually, we realize that to want anything other than the will of God is foolish and futile.

This doesn’t mean that we never ask God for anything. It is natural and normal for a child to ask their loving father for something. It just means that the focus of our prayer changes. There is a time and a place to ask God for things. Still, it would be inappropriate to constantly ask someone for something in a relationship. It shouldn’t be the focus of our prayer. Let us continue to ask for the grace of understanding God’s Will in our lives. We need this understanding, especially as we approach the New Year of 2025. Jesus the True Light take us from our darkness of sin.