SERMON/HOMILY FOR FRIDAY BEFORE EPIPHANY 5TH JANUARY 2024

SERMON/HOMILY FOR FRIDAY BEFORE EPIPHANY 5TH JANUARY 2024

1John 3:11-21; Ps.100; John 1:43-51

Strive to love more

Since this week, the first reading from the first letter of St. John, has continued to teach on love. It makes sense that this theme of love flows immediately with the liturgy of Christmas. In love, God became man in Jesus. In love, God will undergo passion up till death, in Jesus. Therefore, as we celebrate Christmas and pray for a favourable year of 2024, the Word of God is reminding us that without love we can neither truly celebrate Christmas nor win God’s favour in this New Year.

St. John was very exact when he noted that we should not be like Cain who could not love because he was of the evil one. Being of the evil one does not mean that the evil one created Cain but that Cain, through lack of love, gave himself over to the evil one. The example of Cain provides us with a litmus test for knowing if we too have sold ourselves to the evil one: are we still loving? On the other hand, Abel is righteous because he loved. It is love that motivated Abel to give his best. True love is always sacrificial!

Love is a governing propensity that influences all we do and how we do what we do. It is not Cain’s little sacrifice that condemned him but his lack of love which motivated his little sacrifice. So, if we do not love, it will always show. We may be able to hide it for a time but never for too long. St. John noted that if we do not share with those who do not have, we clearly have no love.

Therefore, loving more, is a resolution we must make, work towards and achieve in this New Year. Maybe resolving to love more will attract all God’s attention that we so much crave-for for a prosperous New Year. So, as we go about organizing and attending different breakthrough programs for a favaourable year, let us bear in mind that all the prayers, fasting, declarations, etc, will not work if we are not loving and lovable persons.