A reading from the first Letter of Saint John 3:22-4:6
Beloved: We receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit whom he gave us. Beloved, do not trust every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus does not belong to God. This is the spirit of the antichrist who, as you heard, is to come, but in fact is already in the world. You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them, for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They belong to the world; accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world, and the world listens to them. We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
REFLECTION: And his commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us.
Many of us have had the benefit of relatives or friends who lived a long time. They share their insights, knowledge, philosophies, and experiences. I have always enjoyed hearing their words of wisdom. They are in no hurry and so a quiet afternoon is well spent. Unfortunately, the younger generation is too busy to benefit from their sage advice.
Imagine being around St John. He was the beloved disciple whom Jesus entrusted His Mother's care. He was with Him at Calvary and witnessed the empty tomb. He lived a long life and many think he lived for 100 years. Imagine sitting with him and sharing his memories of Jesus--the parables, miracles, His speech, His loving eyes.....
We have a letter from him today. The core of the letter is to love one another. Sometimes it is difficult to love one another--We don't agree with each other, we have been hurt, betrayed, or even abused. Yet we are told to do so. Unless the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, we will not be able to overcome our fears, our hurts and our inability to love.
So, if you want to possess God, the Holy Spirit, do good for the sake of Christ. Speak in such a way that others love to listen to you, listen in such a way that others love to speak to you.
God Bless You
